SUMMARY ACTION MINUTES
SUMMARY ACTION MINUTES FIRST 5 LA Board of Commissioners Meeting July 11, 2013 1:30-4:30 pm COMMISSIONERS PRESENT:
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT:
Commissioners: Philip Browning Duane Dennis Jonathan Fielding Sandra Figueroa-Villa Neal Kaufman (Vice Chair) Mark Ridley-Thomas (Chair) Marv Southard
Commissioners: Nancy Au [Excused] Jane Boeckmann [Excused] STAFF PRESENT: Kim Belshé, Executive Director Yolanda Bosch, Chief Administrative Officer Genie Chough, Finance Director Antonio Gallardo, Chief Program Officer Linda Vo, Executive Assistant John Wagner, Chief Operating Officer
Ex-Officio Commissioners: Patricia Curry Deanne Tilton
LEGAL COUNSEL: Craig Steele, Attorney-at-Law
CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL: (Item 1) 1.
Chair Ridley-Thomas called the meeting to order at 1:38 pm. Quorum was present.
CONSENT CALENDAR: (Items 2-4) 2.
Approval of Commission Meeting Minutes (Transcription) • Thursday, June 13, 2013 M/S (Mark Ridley-Thomas/Jonathan Fielding) THE ITEM WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED
3.
Approval of the Monthly Financial Statements • Month ending, May 31, 2013 M/S (Jonathan Fielding / Sandra Figueroa-Villa) THE ITEM WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED
4.
Approve 4 New Agreements and 2 Contract Renewals and Authorize Staff to Complete Final Contract Execution Upon Approval from the Board M/S (Jonathan Fielding / Marvin Southard) THE ITEM WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED
COMMISSION MEETING – July 11, 2013 – PAGE 1
SUMMARY ACTION MINUTES
COMMISSION: (Items 5 – 14) 5.
Remarks by the Commission Chair
6.
Executive Director’s Report
NOTE: 9.
Chair Ridley-Thomas assumes leadership of the meeting and proceeds with agenda item 9, skipping items 7 and 8.
Approve Policy and Advocacy-Priority Focus: Early Childhood Education and Family Strengthening (Home Visitation) and State Policy and Sustainability Plan
M/S (Jonathan Fielding / Philip Browning) THE ITEM WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED AS AMENDED Amended as follows: 1. Adopt the actions taken by Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on June 9, 2013, pursuant to the motion by Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. 2. Direct First 5 LA staff, including its Sacramento and Federal advocates, to take all actions, consistent with the duly adopted motion, to support President Obama’s early childhood education 10.
Approve, one of three, LAUP Budget FY 2013/14 options.
M/S (Philip Browning/Sandra Figueroa-Villa) THE ITEM WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED AS AMENDED Amended as follows: 1. The Board approved renewal of the Los Angeles Universal Preschool contract for fiscal year 2013-14. The $64.6 million contract represents an increase of $4.9 million from the previous fiscal year 2. First Five LA staff is to work with LAUP to develop a sustainability plan. This plan is intended to present a picture of how LAUP sees its future post 2015-16, the fiscal year when its current contract is scheduled to end. The report is due to the First 5 LA Board of Commissioners at its September 11, 2013 meeting 3. First 5 LA staff is to develop an environmental scan of the early childhood education landscape in LA County. The scan is intended to help inform future decision making by the Commission regarding its role and contribution to improve kindergarten readiness of young children in our county 11.
Family Strengthening Implementation – Report given
12.
Approve Program Extension and Expansion: Family Child Care Higher Education Academy M/S (Neal Kaufman / Marvin Southard) THE ITEM WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED AS AMENDED Amended as follows: 1. First 5 LA is to come back to the Commission with options that the participant can contribute to the program at the upcoming Commission meeting on September 12, 2013.
COMMISSION MEETING – July 11, 2013 – PAGE 2
SUMMARY ACTION MINUTES
13.
Receive and File the FY 2012-13 3rd Quarter Progress Report and Expenditures THE REPORT WAS RECEIVED AND FILED
14.
Public Comment
ADJOURNMENT: The Commission adjourned at 5:03 pm. NEXT MEETING: The next Commission meeting will take place on Thursday, September 12, 2013 at 1:30 pm. First 5 LA Multi-Purpose Room, First Floor 750 N. Alameda Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Meeting minutes were recorded by Linda Vo, Secretary to the Board of Commissioners.
COMMISSION MEETING – July 11, 2013 – PAGE 3
In the Matter of: FIRST 5 COMMISSIONERS' MEETING
BOARD· MEETING July 11, 2013
·2 ·3 ·4 ·5 ·6 ·7 ·8· · · · · · · · · · · MEETING OF FIRST 5 LA ·9· · · · · · · · · · ·THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013 10· · · · · · · 750 NORTH ALAMEDA STREET, FIRST FLOOR 11· · · · · · · · · LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90012 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24· ·REPORTED BY: · · ·HEATHERLYNN GONZALEZ 25· ·CSR #13646
·1· · · · THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013; LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ·2· · · · · · · · · · · · · · 1:35 p.m. ·3· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · -oOo·4 ·5· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you.· Why ·6· ·don't you take your seats?· If you would be kind enough to ·7· ·take your seats.· We would invite you to take your seats ·8· ·so we can start this forum and proceed accordingly. ·9· · · · · ·Thank you.· Madam secretary, please call the 10· ·roll. 11· · · · · · · ·(Roll called.) 12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. 13· ·We'll proceed to the next item on our agenda today which 14· ·is the appropriate acknowledgment of the establishment of 15· ·a forum.· Item Number 2 is before us.· Members of the 16· ·commission, what is your pleasure? 17· · · · · ·Is there a motion to adopt the minutes from the 18· ·previous meeting? 19· · · · · · · ·(Motion moved.) 20· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· It is moved.· Is 21· ·there a second? 22· · · · · · · ·(Motion seconded.) 23· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· It's been properly 24· ·moved and seconded.· If there is no discussion, no edits 25· ·to be noted for the record, then please record a unanimous www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·vote of the adoption of the minutes. ·2· · · · · ·Item Number 3 is before us, which is the approval ·3· ·of the monthly financial statement.· We'll have the ·4· ·appropriate report at this point in time with ·5· ·acknowledgment of the new CFO.· Welcome. ·6· · · · · ·MS. CHOUGH:· Thank you very much.· I appreciate ·7· ·that, Chairman. ·8· · · · · ·I'm here.· My name is Genie Chough.· I'm the new ·9· ·finance director, and I'm here to present -10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· You may want to hold 11· ·just a moment.· I think the executive director is trying 12· ·to find a way to -13· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· -- to introduce our new finance 14· ·director who just introduced herself.· But thank you, 15· ·Genie and members of the commission for welcoming 16· ·Genie Chough as our new finance director.· Comes by way of 17· ·state Bservice and county service, and we are delighted to 18· ·have her on board And working closely with Raul and our 19· ·finance team. 20· · · · · ·Take it away, Genie.· Your First 5 LA 21· ·presentation.· Stakes are high. 22· · · · · ·MS. CHOUGH:· Thank you very much. 23· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Good luck. 24· · · · · ·MS. CHOUGH:· I appreciate that. 25· · · · · ·I'm here to present the monthly financials for www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·the month of May -·2· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Lean into that microphone. ·3· · · · · ·MS. CHOUGH:· We began the month with a cash ·4· ·balance of about $779,000,000 and closed with ·5· ·$756,000,000.· That decrease of roughly $23,000,000 is ·6· ·primarily attributable to a payment we made for quarter ·7· ·three to LA Up. ·8· · · · · ·As a reminder, this is, as usual, a soft close, ·9· ·meaning that these figures have not been audited.· They 10· ·were internally prepared.· At the end of the fiscal year, 11· ·which we are upon, an independent auditing firm will 12· ·conduct a hard audit.· So my staff will be closing the 13· ·books and working with external auditors and I'll come 14· ·back to you in October with a report on the entire fiscal 15· ·year for 2013. 16· · · · · ·And if you have any questions, Raul Ortega is 17· ·over there. 18· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· Thank 19· ·you.· Members of the commission, you've heard the report 20· ·from our new chief financial officer.· Are there any 21· ·questions for her?· Hazing is not permitted.· That would 22· ·be the domain of the state legislature for those who are 23· ·presenting their initial bills.· It is not permitted in 24· ·First 5 LA. 25· · · · · ·Is there a motion to accept the monthly financial www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·report as -·2· · · · · · · ·(Motion moved and seconded.) ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· It's been moved by ·4· ·Commissioner Fielding and seconded by Commissioner ·5· ·Figueroa-Villa. ·6· · · · · ·Are there any additional comments by any members ·7· ·of the commission at this point in time? ·8· · · · · ·Hearing none, please record a unanimous vote. ·9· · · · · ·We'll move to Item Number 4, which is before us. 10· · · · · ·Sir. 11· · · · · ·MR. WAGNER:· Thank you, Mr. Chair, and members of 12· ·the board.· I just wanted to point out two things in the 13· ·Item Number 4, which is the consent calendar.· One point 14· ·is that, as you'll recall at the last commission meeting, 15· ·there was a discussion around some of the countywide 16· ·contracts, the new contracts that we were bringing forward 17· ·to your consideration; and the question being, how do 18· ·these align with the work we do in our Best Start 19· ·communities. 20· · · · · ·So at the last board meeting, we continued two of 21· ·those contracts.· One was Peer support group for parents, 22· ·and the second was the veggie voucher contact in order to 23· ·do some of that work.· Now that we've had the opportunity 24· ·to conclude a successful retreat on Best Start 25· ·establishing the Building Stronger Families framework, www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·staff continued to look at those new contracts to align ·2· ·that framework to the work of those contracts.· So that ·3· ·work continues and we purposely do not have those two ·4· ·contracts before you today.· And we will bring those back ·5· ·likely in September at the September board meeting.· The ·6· ·other quick -·7· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA-VILLA:· John -·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· A question for you. ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA-VILLA:· I can't hear. 10· · · · · ·MR. WAGNER:· It was the two that were continued 11· ·from the last board meeting where the peer support groups 12· ·for parents and the veggie vouchers contract.· And it's in 13· ·ordinary to make sure we align those to the framework and 14· ·the implications in the Best Start communities. 15· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· And these are new contracts that 16· ·would be coming -17· · · · · ·MR. WAGNER:· New countywide contracts. 18· · · · · ·The second item to call to your attention on the 19· ·consent calendar is the compensation analysis study that 20· ·we have before you.· We -- as you'll recall, back in 21· ·April of 2012, the board voted to authorize First 5 LA to 22· ·conduct a solicitation for a compensation review, 23· ·compensation study.· This past February, I made a 24· ·presentation on the RFP process that we were undertaking 25· ·in exactly the four elements of the request for proposals www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·process.· We have gone through that process.· We've gone ·2· ·through two reviews, and we have on the consent calendar ·3· ·our recommendation for the Hay Group.· So there's a ·4· ·contract before you for $85,000 for the Hay Group, and ·5· ·it's a result of that compensation study. ·6· · · · · ·Another issue that I think is really important to ·7· ·call out on this, is this is one of the recommendations ·8· ·that came out of the Rose report that First 5 LA should ·9· ·conduct a compensation review every five years.· The last 10· ·one we have done and fully implemented goes back to 2001. 11· · · · · ·So if the board approves this contract, we would 12· ·work with the Hay Group to come up with recommendations 13· ·and those recommendations would again come back to the 14· ·board.· So that would be the process for the compensation 15· ·setting, and we anticipate that would occur later in the 16· ·year. 17· · · · · ·And with that, I'll turn it over to Antonio to 18· ·highlight other agreements. 19· · · · · ·MR. GALLARDO:· Thank you, John, and good 20· ·afternoon commissioners. 21· · · · · ·In front of you, there is a consent calendar that 22· ·for this month includes four new agreements and two 23· ·renewals.· The renewals are for work that's already 24· ·undergoing, and the commission has approved in the past. 25· ·It's just a process to renew the contracts on a yearly www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·basis.· On the four new agreements, John already spoke ·2· ·about the compensation study.· And then out of the other ·3· ·three agreements, two of them are related to work that the ·4· ·commission has approved in the past. ·5· · · · · ·I'd like to bring your attention to the contract ·6· ·that we are bringing for your consideration related to the ·7· ·work associated with the federal policy and the legal ·8· ·consultant.· After a solicitation process, the staff is ·9· ·recommending contracting with· Raymond Group, and this is 10· ·to help us in conducting the strategy advice, providing 11· ·policy support that is a complement to our comprehensive 12· ·policy and associates efforts that we will hear more in 13· ·Item Number 9 today. 14· · · · · ·If you have any questions, we'll be happy to 15· ·answer them. 16· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you both. 17· ·Members of the commission, we've heard from both the chief 18· ·operating officer as well as the chief program officer 19· ·regarding Item Number 4 and the agreements contained 20· ·therein. 21· · · · · ·Are there any questions for the two speakers? 22· ·Commissioner Fielding. 23· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· I am encouraged that we 24· ·think we can be as successful in corralling Congress as we 25· ·can be with the State legislature. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Gentlemen, you seem ·2· ·dumbfounded.· Is that correct? ·3· · · · · ·MR. GALLARDO:· I don't understand what he -·4· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Do we think we can be as ·5· ·successful in effecting federal policy as -- and given ·6· ·some of the divisions there as we can in State policy, ·7· ·given some of the -- some of the divisions -·8· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· We're going to give it a go. ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· You should give it a go. 10· ·I'm really glad that we're doing it.· I was just making a 11· ·little political joke which did not land well. 12· · · · · ·MR. GALLARDO:· Now I understand. 13· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you. 14· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· I would move the motion. 15· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· Thank 16· ·you, Commissioner Fielding. 17· · · · · ·I think the admonition would be, keep your day 18· ·job. 19· · · · · ·Now, Commissioner Figueroa-Villa. 20· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA-VILLA:· I have a question 21· ·on the contracting.· When we go out and solicit contracts, 22· ·does the commission have a policy to make sure that the 23· ·contractors that we select, that there is diversity within 24· ·the contracting process?· I know -- well, I don't know. 25· ·That's what I'm asking.· You know what is it that you www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·really look for in contractors when we're selecting them? ·2· ·I do know that we have a list of contractors that have ·3· ·submitted their names and they're on lists, but lots of ·4· ·them never get called.· So what is -- what is the process ·5· ·and the procedure for those or qualifications? ·6· · · · · ·MS. BOSCH:· So I think you might be speaking ·7· ·about our pools that we have for specific types of work. ·8· ·So, for example, we as a pool, and they solicit once a ·9· ·year for anybody that wants to be in a pool for specific 10· ·-- I mean, they can have any kind of qualification that is 11· ·related to sort of an R-and-E type of work or program and 12· ·planning.· So we have different pools, HR pool.· And 13· ·usually the criteria is they've got to just have 14· ·experience in the field.· So they get in the pool.· And 15· ·then, as opportunities become available for work to be 16· ·done, then there's usually a solicitation process to the 17· ·pool.· And then people can bid on that depending on what 18· ·we're looking for as far as the specific need for that 19· ·work.· I mean, when you get in the pool, there's no 20· ·guarantee for work, but we do solicit to the pool. 21· · · · · ·Does that answer your question? 22· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA-VILLA:· Yeah, but in terms 23· ·of the -- many people are qualified in the work that's 24· ·needed, but do they really know our communities, do they 25· ·really know -- that's what I'm asking about more so, www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·diversity. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· I think the larger ·3· ·question, if I may, that the commissioner is seeking to ·4· ·place on the table may be, what are the diversity policies ·5· ·that govern procurement and the range of activities in ·6· ·which First 5 LA engages; do such policies exist.· And it ·7· ·might be useful, at the appropriate place and time, to ·8· ·have them submitted to the appropriate committee, ·9· ·presumably the executive committee perhaps for a review 10· ·and update.· This is in the context of some of the other 11· ·work that we're doing in terms of· bylaws, policies, and 12· ·the like. 13· · · · · ·So there maybe a response to that now.· If it 14· ·doesn't exist, it seems to me that we wish to invite this 15· ·entity into the· 21st century.· Speak to the issue if you 16· ·will. 17· · · · · ·Professor Bosch, is there an answer?· I don't 18· ·know that it's a legal answer. 19· · · · · ·MR. STEELE:· I was just going to suggest, Mr. 20· ·Chairman, exactly as you specified.· Rather than give an 21· ·incompetent answer here, I think perhaps it would be best 22· ·to compile what we have and report back in the context of 23· ·that discussion with the executive committee. 24· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Excellent.· That 25· ·would be fine.· All right.· Is that satisfactory, www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·commissioner? ·2· · · · · ·All right.· Then Commissioner Fielding did move ·3· ·the item before us.· Are there additional questions? ·4· · · · · ·Commissioner Browning. ·5· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· Mr. Chair, I had a ·6· ·question about whether we're voting to approve all of the ·7· ·agreements or just the two that were discussed. ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Commissioner ·9· ·Browning seeks a clarification. 10· · · · · ·MR. WAGNER:· The vote before you is the full 11· ·consent calendar, so it's the four agreements plus the two 12· ·amendments. 13· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Four new agreements and the two 14· ·renewals. 15· · · · · ·MR. WAGNER:· Two renewals, sorry. 16· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Commissioner. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· One follow-up question. 18· ·On the Rabon Group, how many solicitations did you 19· ·receive?· Were there more than one? 20· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· We received seven. 21· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· Seven.· Okay.· Thank you. 22· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Additional questions 23· ·or comments for staff on Item Number 4 and the 24· ·recommendations contained therein? 25· · · · · ·Again, it's been moved by Commissioner Fielding. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·Is there a second? ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Second. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Seconded by ·4· ·Commissioner Kaufman. ·5· · · · · ·If there's no further discussion on the matter ·6· ·and if there are no objections, that will be the order and ·7· ·record a unanimous vote. ·8· · · · · ·Commissioners, thank you very much.· We can now ·9· ·turn our attention to Item Number 5.· And I'll say just 10· ·the -- following in the chair's report that early 11· ·childhood education is a relatively fundamental component 12· ·of First 5 LA's mission, but more importantly, early 13· ·childhood education is important to our well-being as a 14· ·society, which all of us I know no doubt understand and 15· ·agree with; otherwise, we wouldn't be doing the important 16· ·work that we are doing; you wouldn't be doing the 17· ·important work that you do. 18· · · · · ·So it's just a question of how we intelligently 19· ·and strategically, prudently advance the agenda for early 20· ·childhood education.· And I think we have a rather 21· ·extraordinary opportunity along these lines presented to 22· ·us by the President of the United States just to put down 23· ·a marker that essentially calls for an investment, a wise 24· ·investment, a defensible investment in early childhood 25· ·education. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·So in my capacity as chairman of the board, ·2· ·supervisors, you know, we -- we wish to affirm the work ·3· ·that First 5 LA has done and is doing and will continue to ·4· ·do, and no doubt do it on a more effective basis on a ·5· ·go-forward basis given the intensity of work and the ·6· ·clarity that is being brought to bear by staff and its ·7· ·leadership. ·8· · · · · ·On Tuesday, the board did adopt a resolution that ·9· ·-- that is the board of supervisors, to effectively 10· ·embrace President's initiative because we believe it's in 11· ·our collective self-interest as a nation, as a society; 12· ·and for entities such as First 5, there are significant 13· ·advantages to be realized.· I won't detail all of the data 14· ·that no doubt you are familiar with about the issue of 15· ·dropout rates and the clear deterioration of the quality 16· ·of life absent the intervention that early childhood 17· ·education represents. 18· · · · · ·So we just want to make the point that this is an 19· ·agenda that is increasing support and it is appropriately 20· ·viewed as a priority, a legislative priority for the 21· ·County of Los Angeles in terms of the direction to our 22· ·federal legislative advocates to get after this issue and 23· ·support that initiative and do all that we can as the most 24· ·populous county in the nation to hold the banner high for 25· ·early childhood education. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·The dollars that would flow pursuant to the ·2· ·President's initiative could be very, very substantial. ·3· ·It seems to me that we ought to be smart enough to act in ·4· ·our own self-interest in this point. ·5· · · · · ·We will share with you a letter that we are ·6· ·circulating to each of the board members just so that you ·7· ·have a content of it.· The motion will be attached for ·8· ·your consideration as well.· I just want to cause that to ·9· ·be the thrust of the chair's remarks for the day, just an 10· ·emphasis on the issue of early childhood education and 11· ·universal preschool - investment, investment, investment. 12· · · · · ·May I take the opportunity to indicate that, with 13· ·respect to the agenda, we are going to reorder it just a 14· ·tad.· We're going to take Item 9 and 10 up earlier than 15· ·has been indicated.· So after we hear from the executive 16· ·director on her remarks, we're going to move to Item 17· ·Number 9, then Item Number 10 -- those are the substantial 18· ·action items for the day -- and proceed accordingly.· All 19· ·right? 20· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Terrific.· Thank you, Mr. Chair, and 21· ·members and supervisor.· Your comments, I think, are spot 22· ·on and will be echoed throughout the course of today's 23· ·commission meeting on a number of agenda items where the 24· ·theme of the policy window and the opportunity that's been 25· ·created by the President's leadership is really very www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·timely here in California.· So while the federal ·2· ·conversation -- or the conversation around quality ·3· ·preschool has been kicked off under the President's ·4· ·leadership, there's some really important near-term ·5· ·opportunities here at home where this organization has an ·6· ·opportunity to provide a lot of leadership.· So I'm very ·7· ·helpful in opening context setting comments. ·8· · · · · ·I'm going to be brief, and I want to talk with ·9· ·the board about two words.· One word is pace, and another 10· ·word is calibration or recalibration.· And I just want to 11· ·acknowledge -- I'm sure as you all looked at the board 12· ·agenda and the issues before the commission, you 13· ·acknowledge the pace and volume of work that has been 14· ·undertaken in recent months because many of them are 15· ·coming to bear on this and future agenda items.· But the 16· ·Best Start inquiry, the listening, learning, and leading 17· ·effort are develop -- effort to develop a more focused 18· ·public policy agenda.· The work to scale, the 19· ·implementation of our strategic partners -- strategic plan 20· ·investment such as Welcome Baby and home visitation, this 21· ·is a lot of very significant, complex, and substantive 22· ·work that has been undertaken in recent months.· And the 23· ·product of that are some very substantive and, you know, 24· ·heavy lifting agendas. 25· · · · · ·So I want to acknowledge both the staff as well www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·as the board's investment of time and effort in terms of ·2· ·really rolling up our collective sleeves and digging into ·3· ·this vast array of very important work that is in my mind ·4· ·really foundational to our efforts to make a difference ·5· ·and to maximize the impact that we are having for ·6· ·children.· So pace and volume have been significant in ·7· ·recent months. ·8· · · · · ·So that's why my second work is calibration or ·9· ·recalibration because I want to acknowledge that, 10· ·notwithstanding the pace and the volume and the important 11· ·work that has been done that is foundational, I also want 12· ·to say, this is not the norm and we need to be thoughtful 13· ·in terms of how we calibrate our work going forward and 14· ·acknowledging where are our priorities and how do we 15· ·sequence.· So this will be a scene you'll hear a time or 16· ·two in my comments around Best Start in terms of moving 17· ·forward with implementation of the Building Stronger 18· ·Families framework, as well as some of my comments around 19· ·the listening, learning, and leading effort, and some of 20· ·the priorities or issues that have been identified and the 21· ·importance of our prioritizing as an organization how to 22· ·focus our work and move forward in a way that reflects 23· ·both the board's bandwidth as well as the staff's 24· ·bandwidth. 25· · · · · ·So, again, I want to commend the board and the www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·staff for really digging into some very difficult and ·2· ·important and sometimes long-standing issues over the ·3· ·course of the past number of months, but also ·4· ·acknowledging the importance of our kind of stepping back ·5· ·and calibrating workload both for the board as well as the ·6· ·staff, and that's something that will be a subject of ·7· ·ongoing conversation. ·8· · · · · ·So I invite any comments or questions on that. ·9· ·Otherwise, I would turn it back to the chair for what I 10· ·believe is now Item 9. 11· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· Thank 12· ·you very much.· Let's turn our attention to the first 13· ·action item beyond the retained issues of minutes and 14· ·monthly reports, and that is Item Number -- monthly 15· ·financial reports, and that would be Item Number 9. 16· · · · · ·So the staff who has a presentation, we invite 17· ·you to come forward for the purposes of your presentation. 18· · · · · ·Ma'am, proceed. 19· · · · · ·MS. LEE.· Thank you.· Good afternoon, 20· ·commissioners.· We're pleased to be in front of you again 21· ·here today.· Over the last few months, we've had the 22· ·opportunity to share various aspects of the policy 23· ·department's work and share some of the background 24· ·information that we've been exploring relating to policy 25· ·and stainability efforts, and we're excited that today we www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·will be able to share our plan. ·2· · · · · ·A few weeks ago at the program planning ·3· ·committee, we were able to share this plan in great ·4· ·detail, and today we will do a very short version of that ·5· ·plan, as well as provide you some more information in ·6· ·terms of the two priority areas, our existing policy and ·7· ·advocacy resources, our sustainability plan, and highlight ·8· ·some immediate opportunities that we've identified through ·9· ·our planning process, and outline some of the additional 10· ·resources we will need to proceed with the plan. 11· · · · · ·The first area on our agenda is to affirm the two 12· ·priority areas for the policy and sustainability 13· ·activities for First 5 LA.· And we've identified those to 14· ·be public funding or expanding public funding for 15· ·high-quality early childhood education, and family 16· ·strengthening programs and services.· Sustainability has 17· ·been a consistent theme with the agency.· First 5 LA has 18· ·engaged in a variety of activities to support the 19· ·sustainability of its investments. 20· · · · · ·When we say we're prioritizing these two issues 21· ·areas, we're not recommending that we abandon the 22· ·remaining policy areas that we focus on.· As you know, we 23· ·have a ten-point policy agenda that we are very committed 24· ·to can and our staff is continuing to provide leadership 25· ·and advocacy work on.· And we also have our 23 policy www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·grantees who are working on the breadth of those ten ·2· ·policy issue areas.· It just means we're prioritizing ·3· ·those two so resources and time will be committee to those ·4· ·two areas. ·5· · · · · ·The key themes in moving forward with our work on ·6· ·policy and sustainability, as we look at different ·7· ·opportunities as they emerge on the horizon, as we know ·8· ·policy work is very sporadic or unpredictable, so this is ·9· ·the approach we're taking as we examine each of the issues 10· ·as they arise, and one is to improve alignment and 11· ·coordination with existing resources.· First 5 LA has been 12· ·made substantial investments in a variety of areas, so our 13· ·first step is to see what we already have available and 14· ·see if we can align and coordinate those resources more 15· ·effectively. 16· · · · · ·The second aspect is to work differently; to look 17· ·around and say, what can we do to engage new or unusual 18· ·allies.· We currently work -- and our partner in the LA 19· ·compact, which is a partnership with the LA Chamber, 20· ·higher education, the City of LA and various other 21· ·entities that are committed to improving education in LA, 22· ·and looking at other opportunities to work with business 23· ·and other types of groups. 24· · · · · ·And then the last is meant to identify what gaps 25· ·might exist and what leadership opportunities are www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·available for First 5.· And if we all do that effectively, ·2· ·we imagine it will work really well.· These are some of ·3· ·the resources that First 5 LA has already committed in ·4· ·terms of advocacy related to early childhood education. ·5· ·one of the investments is with LAUP, and they do a lot of ·6· ·great work in advocacy coalition building, public and ·7· ·political will building. ·8· · · · · ·We also have the early childhood education career ·9· ·development policy project.· Many of you are familiar with 10· ·the work that this group has done related to the ECEWorks 11· ·Project as well as the partnership with the UCLA Anderson 12· ·Forecast on the human index.· These are additional 13· ·investments for policy grantees working on early childhood 14· ·education, as well as some of the coalitions and groups 15· ·that our staff works with to promote early childhood 16· ·education.· And these are some of our home visitation 17· ·investments related to policy. 18· · · · · ·Here you see the overarching stainability goals 19· ·that we've identified for early childhood education and 20· ·home visiting.· Today in the presentation that our 21· ·partners from Cal Strat will be presenting will focus a 22· ·lot on the short-term opportunities and goals that we've 23· ·identified through our planning process.· But we want to 24· ·make it clear and help you see the bigger picture, that 25· ·these activities are taking us toward the longer www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·intermediate term goals and to our long-term goal, which ·2· ·is to realize public funding for high-quality, early ·3· ·childhood education and home visitation programs and to ·4· ·protect Prop 10 dollars for our population as well as ·5· ·insure that early childhood is a high priority at the ·6· ·state level. ·7· · · · · ·Now, I'm very pleased to reintroduce John Benton ·8· ·from California Strategies who's here to talk in more ·9· ·detail about our sustainability plan. 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much, 11· ·Stacy. 12· · · · · ·CALIFORNIA STRATEGIES:· Thank you, Mr. Chairman, 13· ·members.· Thanks for having me back.· I'm joined in the 14· ·audience by Joanne Kozberg from our Los Angeles office, 15· ·and also Steve Cann.· The other members of the team are up 16· ·on the board there for you to see who we have on the team. 17· ·Quite a number of our partners and principles are 18· ·involved. 19· · · · · ·In terms of what we've learned, we've reviewed 20· ·this at prior meetings, but we can go through it briefly 21· ·again here.· Certainly, I agree with the chairman that the 22· ·President Obama's focus on early childhood education has 23· ·created a buzz up in Sacramento.· There's a number of 24· ·bills that we are currently working on up in the 25· ·legislature that impact your programs, and we have been www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·supporting those. ·2· · · · · ·In terms of First 5 LA, we want to help you ·3· ·define your voice up there.· I think that will be an ·4· ·important step moving forward.· In terms of Governor ·5· ·Brown, he obviously remains an obstacle in this year's ·6· ·budget.· He did veto five million of the 30 million for ·7· ·preschool funding that the legislature put in.· And in ·8· ·that message, he indicated that it was one-time funding in ·9· ·his mind.· So we've got a lot of work do to do with 10· ·Governor Brown. 11· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· You're referring to 12· ·the governor as an obstacle? 13· · · · · ·CALIFORNIA STRATEGIES:· Yes, a challenge. 14· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· So you've got it 15· ·like that, hu?· Yeah. 16· · · · · ·CALIFORNIA STRATEGIES:· I'm being diplomatic, 17· ·Mr. Chairman. 18· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· That's one way to 19· ·think about it.· Proceed, sir. 20· · · · · ·CALIFORNIA STRATEGIES:· And then certainly, as we 21· ·move forward in terms of the near-term opportunities, the 22· ·local-controlled funding formula, which we've talked about 23· ·in prior meetings, was the Governor's huge win in this 24· ·budget this year.· I think it provides us some 25· ·opportunities to work here locally and at the state level www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·with other early childhood education partners to include ·2· ·preschool and early childhood education in the discussion ·3· ·regarding what's going to happen with the dollars that are ·4· ·coming down for local-controlled funding.· So we have some ·5· ·near opportunities in early childhood education. ·6· · · · · ·On the home visitation side, we really have to ·7· ·start from ground up on that.· This is not on the radar at ·8· ·all up in Sacramento.· I had a meeting the other day in ·9· ·the Senate pro tem's office and a person who had been 10· ·there for 20 years didn't know that California had home 11· ·visitation programs.· So there's a lot of education to do 12· ·up there.· Certainly, the Affordable Care Act, we had a 13· ·Assemblyman Richard Pan, who is the chair of the assembly 14· ·health committee.· He gave us some great advice on how to 15· ·use the Affordable Care Act and the moving from 16· ·pay-for-procedure to pay-for-performance as a way to help 17· ·accelerate the discussion on home visitation.· So we're 18· ·working on that.· We're looking at adding some partners in 19· ·talking to them in the hospitals with the insurers and 20· ·large medical groups.· Certainly, looking at alternative 21· ·funding models that we want to look forward to, and we'll 22· ·be exploring those.· So the near-term opportunities for us 23· ·in home visitation is to really look at -- at educating 24· ·and building from the ground up a case for home visitation 25· ·in the state. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·In terms of the way that we have divided out and ·2· ·looked at this, we've categorized this is into strategic ·3· ·planning, which we're doing now, but that's ongoing.· That ·4· ·will change as we move forward the process.· Certainly, ·5· ·advocacy, bother her at the Los Angeles county level and ·6· ·also in Sacramento.· We can't do this alone.· So we're ·7· ·looking at developing coalitions and new partnerships and ·8· ·expanding into those groups that are not traditionally in ·9· ·this space.· I was surprised to learn that the California 10· ·Chamber of Commerce does not have a early childhood 11· ·education platform.· So we certainly need to change that. 12· · · · · ·And then we've got a strategic communications 13· ·plan that will fold around all of these areas that will 14· ·help us bring the level of the debate up on these issues 15· ·and in different venues.· And we have to make sure that 16· ·we're redirecting and allocating resources smartly as we 17· ·move forward in this policy agenda. 18· · · · · ·Back to the chairman's point, we need to leverage 19· ·President Obama's positions and movement on early 20· ·childhood education and home visitation.· We have the rest 21· ·of the 2013 session which here in California that ends 22· ·September 13.· So we've got about a number of bills, four 23· ·or five, that we have participated in already in those and 24· ·have a voice on those.· We'll continue to do that. 25· · · · · ·On local-controlled funding, we will have both a www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·state board of education role there and then also here ·2· ·locally in terms of working on trying to bring some early ·3· ·childhood education funding into that.· Part of the budget ·4· ·was also $1.25 billion for Common Core implementation. ·5· ·There may be a piece of that that we -- we can use for ·6· ·early childhood education.· We want to have input on the ·7· ·2014-15 budget if we can.· And those discussions are ·8· ·ongoing right now in California.· And then we're looking ·9· ·at developing stronger fiscal justification for home 10· ·visitation, and that would require us to really explore a 11· ·lot of Title 19 or Medi-Cal options and strategies.· And 12· ·then, certainly, we're looking at other funding models 13· ·like social impact bonds and also other revenues measures 14· ·that we might be able to use.· So we're actively engaged 15· ·in those right now and will continue to do that. 16· · · · · ·We can't do this alone, and so we're looking at 17· ·your existing coalitions.· We think right off the bat, we 18· ·need to make sure that all the counties First 5s are on 19· ·the same page if we can, that we're working as one, as 20· ·long as -- as well as with the First 5 associations up in 21· ·Sacramento.· Certainly, there's an existing early 22· ·childhood education advocacy groups that we need to work 23· ·with.· And then in terms of home visitation side, we 24· ·really need to build the coalition.· That would be with 25· ·hospitals, insurers, medical groups to start with and then www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·expand to other areas.· And both with respect to early ·2· ·childhood education and home visitation, we really need to ·3· ·move some groups that are really not in this space into ·4· ·that space.· That would include some of the business ·5· ·groups, some of the labor groups, and even some of the ·6· ·public safety groups.· A good example of the groups that ·7· ·are involved in childhood education, for example, are ·8· ·Mission Readiness, which is a national organization that ·9· ·has retired generals and other officers in the military 10· ·who have figured that early childhood education is a top 11· ·public policy priority for them.· So there's a group 12· ·that's not traditionally where you would think they would 13· ·be on early childhood education, but they are.· And I 14· ·think we've got opportunities there to build other 15· ·coalitions in that regard. 16· · · · · ·The strategy communications plan that we're 17· ·talking about, we need to find what our messages work and 18· ·what messengers we need.· We're going to look at the 19· ·social media, the traditional media, and certainly how can 20· ·we use some of your existing partners here in Los Angeles 21· ·and then others across the street to form some grass roots 22· ·and grass tops educational awareness for your issues in 23· ·that we've got an election coming up in 2014 as we all 24· ·know.· And one of the issues in our strategic 25· ·communications plan we're looking at is, how do we insert www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·early childhood education, home visitation possibly into ·2· ·the political debate so that, when our elected leaders are ·3· ·out making friends and meeting with folks outside of the ·4· ·public policy arena, how can they hear about these issues ·5· ·and understand that they're important to their ·6· ·constituencies. ·7· · · · · ·Certainly, in the near term also we're looking at ·8· ·coordinating with the Bay Area council and Packard on ·9· ·their statewide campaign that they've already had some 10· ·framework documents prepared for. 11· · · · · ·In the terms of immediate opportunity, I 12· ·mentioned local-controlled funding formula.· This is, in 13· ·essence, a block grant of money that's going to come down 14· ·from the state with very few strings attached to the local 15· ·school districts.· The state board is going to be 16· ·developing a template for them to use on how to spend that 17· ·money.· At the end of the day, the locals -- local school 18· ·districts will have to meet certain outcomes and 19· ·accountability measurements.· And we feel that certainly 20· ·early childhood education, possibly home visitation have a 21· ·role in allowing them to meet those outcomes and to meet 22· ·the accountability objectives.· So we'll be working both 23· ·at the state level and at the local level on those issues. 24· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you for your 25· ·presentation.· Stacy, any additional comments on your www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·behalf at this point?· One more?· Okay. ·2· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· In closing. ·3· · · · · ·MS. LEE:· When we had originally budgeted for and ·4· ·imagined this work, it was primarily in these areas. ·5· ·First 5 LA for a while, the commission had asked for the ·6· ·staff to develop a relationship with a contractor to have ·7· ·advocacy presence in Sacramento, and we had been planning ·8· ·that for as long as I've been here, and to work on the ·9· ·traditional annual legislative agenda to build 10· ·relationships with policymakers and to give First 5 LA a 11· ·leadership voice in that region as well as traditional 12· ·protection of Prop 10, which the agency has done 13· ·consistently.· So when we budgeted for that work, it did 14· ·not include the larger sustainability goals and activities 15· ·that have emerged over the past eight months, year in the 16· ·way that we're thinking of it currently. 17· · · · · ·So in early childhood education, as John 18· ·mentioned, we've identified local-control funding as an 19· ·immediate opportunity.· It's happening right now.· Those 20· ·templates are being developed.· And we have the ability to 21· ·go and advocate for the interest of early childhood 22· ·education at both the state and local level.· There are 23· ·advocates working on this in the field.· And we believe, 24· ·if we can provide some coordination and some resources, 25· ·that we can insure that the work that everyone is doing is www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·more effective and has a better chance at having positive ·2· ·outcomes both through the state as well as the local ·3· ·school district outreach. ·4· · · · · ·So we've estimated additional $489,000 for the ·5· ·local -- for the coordinating of the strategy as well as ·6· ·some small additional funding for those advocacy agencies ·7· ·to participate in those activities with us. ·8· · · · · ·In terms of the technical assistance that John ·9· ·had mentioned, in order for us to be able to get the right 10· ·information from the right people, we need some technical 11· ·expertise in some weedy complicated policy areas such as 12· ·Medi-Cal and Title 19.· And those experts we estimate 13· ·would cost about $40,000.· And these number are for the 14· ·remainder of the contract, which is eight months. 15· · · · · ·And, finally, in order to have a more targeted 16· ·proactive communications program that focuses on the 17· ·sustainability issues of home visitation and early 18· ·childhood education, it be would be a $40,000 increase 19· ·from the current contract. 20· · · · · ·That's it. 21· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· Thank 22· ·you for your testimony -- or your presentation now. 23· · · · · ·Members of the commission, if there are questions 24· ·or comments you wish to pose to the staff in this area of 25· ·policy manager and the entity doing the work in www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·Sacramento, this is your opportunity to do so.· Did I see ·2· ·your hand, Commissioner Kaufman. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· I'm kind of have a ·4· ·request.· Could you listen with both ears when you're ·5· ·talking to policymakers on what it would take in terms of ·6· ·the evidence or the proof or the suggestion, whatever ·7· ·level you want, that would allow them to support either ·8· ·early care education or home visitation, really home ·9· ·visitation.· We have the opportunity to evaluate in 10· ·various ways, to look at different outcomes.· And I know 11· ·that, for example, health care providers would look for a 12· ·certain level of evidence; health plans might be 13· ·different, employers might be different.· So if you can 14· ·listen to that as you're talking to legislators, executive 15· ·branch, whatever, and make sure that you get back into us, 16· ·that helps us to figure out how we do targeted evaluations 17· ·so we can have the evidence that they need. 18· · · · · ·CALIFORNIA STRATEGIES:· Yeah, I think that's a 19· ·very good point.· And in fact, we just came out of a 20· ·two-hour meeting with First 5 LA staff here where we 21· ·talked exactly on those issues:· Where are the data, the 22· ·research that's needed, how do we transform that into the 23· ·fiscal discussions that are going on up in Sacramento.· So 24· ·it's a very good point. 25· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· And if I may, Mr. Chair. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Please. ·2· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· As a part of the budget that was ·3· ·approved by the board, there are resources available to ·4· ·First 5 LA in our community investments department to do ·5· ·some exploration along social impact bonds.· We've talked ·6· ·about that just very briefly.· But I want to underscore ·7· ·one of John's points, and I made this point before.· Given ·8· ·what Cal-Strat has been listening and learning, and what ·9· ·we have been listening and learning as well, we do see 10· ·Title 19 Medicaid funding as a very important potential 11· ·funding stream.· Indeed, it is kind of the mothership of 12· ·public funding, but it does require a Ph.D. in science to 13· ·truly navigate Title 19.· So that is an example of an 14· ·additional resource need that is a part of what John has 15· ·just put on the table.· We need that capacity and we need 16· ·it timely. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you, 18· ·Commissioner Browning.· I recognize Commissioner Southard 19· ·to follow.· Sir. 20· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· Are these one-time costs, 21· ·or would they be continuing during the next year after the 22· ·eight months? 23· · · · · ·CALIFORNIA STRATEGIES:· Right now we see them as 24· ·one time, but we think they will continue.· So I mean, in 25· ·terms of your budgeting cycles, we set them out that way, www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·but I think they're going to be a continuous cost. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· This might not be a ·3· ·question you can answer, but would First 5 look to develop ·4· ·an in-house Title 19 expert, or is that something that you ·5· ·think is over and above what the current structure would ·6· ·provide? ·7· · · · · ·That might be for you, Kim. ·8· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· It's a good question for us to mull ·9· ·over, Philip, in the near term.· There are some firms that 10· ·have very, very deep Title 19 expertise that is the nature 11· ·that we need now.· But as we think about alternative 12· ·funding models for much of our work, it might make sense 13· ·to have more capacity internally.· But that would take 14· ·more time to do, but we need some help now. 15· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Noted.· Additional 16· ·commissioners?· Commissioner Southard, please, then 17· ·followed by Commissioner Dennis. 18· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER SOUTHARD:· A potential suggestion 19· ·for looking at Title 19 and home visitation issues, it may 20· ·be worthwhile to explore the postpartum/perinatal 21· ·depression angle as a way of getting that.· I think that 22· ·has a good policy foothold and it -- it really is totally 23· ·then Title 19 reimburseable, and I think it really speaks 24· ·to people who have experienced that in their network. 25· · · · · ·CALIFORNIA STRATEGIES:· You should have been in www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·our meeting earlier because we talked a great deal about ·2· ·that. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· A lot of ·4· ·admiration here, irrespective of your firing on the ·5· ·governor, we obviously have some commissioners who share ·6· ·the sentiment. ·7· · · · · ·Commissioner Dennis.· Is there another hand? ·8· ·Commissioner Fielding to follow. ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER DENNIS:· It goes without question 10· ·that I fully support an agenda which places priority on 11· ·early childhood education, and I'm really glad that we've 12· ·come to that point to make that one of our policy 13· ·priorities.· However, as I said during program and 14· ·planning, one of the things that I'm interested in seeing 15· ·is the connectivity amongst of the existing policy 16· ·incentives that we currently have with regards to those 17· ·with responsibility, who does what, because some of this 18· ·is seemingly redundant.· And so to that end, as we've 19· ·invested in several policy initiatives, I think there is 20· ·-- we're at the point where we need to see, you know, what 21· ·is integration and connectivity and how do we get the best 22· ·bang for our buck. 23· · · · · ·CALIFORNIA STRATEGIES:· And I didn't spend enough 24· ·time on my presentation on that, but you're absolutely 25· ·right.· One of the early things that we're going to do is www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·look at all of the assets that you have on the ground, ·2· ·figure out how that we can all use those so we're going in ·3· ·one direction instead of multiple directions. ·4· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· Thank ·5· ·you.· Commissioner Fielding. ·6· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· On the home visiting one, ·7· ·I wonder if you explored getting support from the juvenile ·8· ·justice community and also from the law enforcement ·9· ·committee.· There's some clear evidence that -- at least 10· ·from several studies that you reduce the likelihood that 11· ·someone is going to wind up on the juvenile justice 12· ·system, that they're going to wind up in the criminal -13· ·adult criminal justice system.· You also have the 14· ·substance abuse community, and we know that has impact 15· ·multigenerationally.· So -- and I'm not sure that those 16· ·are communities that really think about home visiting, 17· ·something that it seems -- for them it may seem very 18· ·remote to their day-to-day work, but there are probably 19· ·persuasive ways and individuals who really believe the 20· ·importance of those tie-ins that could be added to the 21· ·part.· Then you have some unlikely partners that I think 22· ·could add strength to all of us that are traditionally 23· ·very supportive. 24· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Duly noted, 25· ·Commissioner Fielding. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·Anyone else wish to be heard on Item Number 9 at ·2· ·this particular point? ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER DENNIS:· Mr. Chair, I would like to ·4· ·offer a motion with regards to what you submitted to the ·5· ·board of supervisors on Tuesday, hoping that we can get ·6· ·some alignment as a First 5 commission and be in ·7· ·partnership with, you know, your board fellows as we move ·8· ·an agenda that looks at investment in early care and ·9· ·education.· Obviously, you and I share some of the same 10· ·thoughts around ECE, and I want to make sure that is 11· ·formulated into a motion that hopefully my colleagues can 12· ·approve. 13· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· You're in order, 14· ·proceed, sir. 15· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER DENNIS:· Let me hand out the motion. 16· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER DENNIS:· Simply stated, it is in 18· ·essence a -- I mean, you all have the motion that went on 19· ·to the board of supervisors on Tuesday.· Simply stated 20· ·that this is an alignment with that motion with 21· ·intentionality of bringing our Sacramento and federal 22· ·advocates to support the President's early childhood 23· ·agenda. 24· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· The item is before 25· ·us.· Is there a second? www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· Second. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· Is there ·3· ·any discussion on this motion that has been brought before ·4· ·us by Commissioner Dennis? ·5· · · · · ·Reference was made a -- please, Commissioner ·6· ·Browning. ·7· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· Is there a cost to this? ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Yes, and you will ·9· ·bear it.· I'm sorry? 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· Number 2 sounded pretty 11· ·open-ended.· I wasn't sure if there was a cost that might 12· ·be associated with this. 13· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· I don't know that 14· ·there would be a cost associated.· I don't know that I 15· ·read it in that matter. 16· · · · · ·Commissioner Browning, perhaps you can share with 17· ·the commission as to why you might think it would be and 18· ·to make other motion, I want to address that as well. 19· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER DENNIS:· I don't think there would 20· ·be any cost incurred in addition to what we've outlined 21· ·already in Item 9, so I would suggest that this is in 22· ·alignment with what has been stated in Item 9.· So I don't 23· ·feel that there would be any additional cost than staff 24· ·has already proposed. 25· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· That would be www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·intended as an appropriate clarification.· Yes. ·2· · · · · ·All right.· Any further discussion on that ·3· ·matter? ·4· · · · · ·Let me just simply indicate that there was ·5· ·reference to social impact bonds in the presentation that ·6· ·we heard earlier and then there was a conversation about ·7· ·-- initiated by Commissioner Fielding on the issue of ·8· ·probation and the related activities.· The board of ·9· ·supervisors, there is exploration of leveraging social 10· ·impact bonds.· A lot of work is already under way in that 11· ·regard.· It would seem to me that perhaps First 5 might 12· ·want to take advantage of some of the work that is being 13· ·done there.· They should begin to explore how this could 14· ·be a useful tool for this agency. 15· · · · · ·And Yolanda Vera, who is here, can help you know 16· ·who the right analysts and so forth are and you can 17· ·benefit from that work and add to it as you deem 18· ·appropriate.· Okay? 19· · · · · ·Any additional questions or comments?· The items 20· ·are before us.· These are action items; that is to say we 21· ·will treat Commissioner Dennis' motion as an amendment to 22· ·Item Number 9, if that's acceptable.· Is there a motion to 23· ·adopt Item Number 9 as amended? 24· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Move. 25· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· It's been moved by www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·Commissioner Fielding.· Is there a second? ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· Second. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Seconded by ·4· ·Commissioner Browning. ·5· · · · · ·Is there any further discussion on the item? ·6· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER TILTON:· I have a question. ·7· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· You have a question, ·8· ·Commissioner Tilton? ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER TILTON:· Yes, I have a question. 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Please. 11· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER TILTON:· Thank you.· I am unclear 12· ·what -- how specific the President's support for home 13· ·visitation is.· I understand the early education.· I know 14· ·in program and planning, we were struggling with the kinds 15· ·of evidence and the kinds of foundation we would lay to 16· ·support home visitation.· I believe it is incredibly 17· ·important for a whole lot of reasons, and it spans a very 18· ·broad spectrum.· Certainly, talking about post partum 19· ·depression is critical.· But home visitation can be life 20· ·saving, it can be a lot of things, it can be viewed as 21· ·only visiting new babies, or it can be seen as something 22· ·that is integral into all of the programs for children 23· ·zero to five. 24· · · · · ·So do we need to understand more specifically 25· ·what we're supporting here or, as I'm willing to do, www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·support home visitation rather universally? ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· I think ·3· ·it's reasonable to assume that our advocacy can be ·4· ·specific or it can be comprehensive in nature.· To the ·5· ·extent that it is our priority to focus on home ·6· ·visitations, and that is a piece of this puzzle that may ·7· ·or may not be missing, there's nothing that would prevent ·8· ·our legislative advocates from raising that issue should ·9· ·we so instruct.· Obviously, what we want to do is maximize 10· ·the -- our ability to impact the initiatives that have 11· ·funding implications. 12· · · · · ·So I would wish to say, if it is deemed that it's 13· ·not there or if it's underdeveloped, that we instruct, 14· ·should it be the will of the commission, our advocates to 15· ·help develop a more well-articulated or even robust home 16· ·visitation agenda.· Is that acceptable? 17· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· A good example of that, if I may, 18· ·Mr. Chair, is in the Affordable Care Act, there was 19· ·funding appropriated for home visitation but not in the 20· ·context of Title 19 and Medicaid program, but rather 21· ·through a separate, discrete, capped appropriation.· So 22· ·it's a very important statement of support by the federal 23· ·government in the context of federal reform.· Is it as far 24· ·as we would ideally like to see federal support of home 25· ·visitation to go?· No.· Does the President's additional www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·proposals to expand support for home visitation represent ·2· ·another important step forward potentially?· Absolutely. ·3· ·But that's where Title 19, I think, is so important ·4· ·because it is such a significant funder of services to ·5· ·millions and· millions of Californians.· So I think the ·6· ·direction we take is to pursue any and all opportunities ·7· ·and possibilities here at home and federally recognizing ·8· ·the importance of evidence-based programs. ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Yes.· And add to 10· ·that by any means necessary. 11· · · · · ·All right.· Commissioner Fielding. 12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· One of those by any means 13· ·could well be to get another insurer to say this is 14· ·something we want to pay for independent of the federal 15· ·reimbursement issues.· I think particularly of Kaiser. 16· ·And if we can make a persuasive case, I would hope they 17· ·and potentially other health plans would have an interest 18· ·in adopting that even before, even if it was before we had 19· ·this done on a broad federal or federal/state basis. 20· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· And we'll have an opportunity, Dr. 21· ·Fielding, to speak to that very specific opportunity in 22· ·the context of Barbara DuBransky's presentation on our 23· ·implementation of Welcome Baby Home visitation and some of 24· ·the considerations related to specifically to the 25· ·inclusion of a Kaiser facility. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Thank you. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· Thank ·3· ·you very much.· If there's no further discussion, the item ·4· ·is before us, has been properly moved and seconded.· Are ·5· ·there any objections to the item as has been brought to ·6· ·our attention by staff, that would be Item Number 9 as ·7· ·amended? ·8· · · · · ·Seeing none, please record a unanimous vote. ·9· · · · · ·Shall we then move to Item Number 10?· And I -- a 10· ·note that we have several persons wishing to be heard.· It 11· ·would be mine to take them up top.· There are 12· ·approximately 30 such persons and growing.· The Chair 13· ·wishes to say that we are going to close the public 14· ·comment portion with the names having been submitted. 15· ·There's no objection to that, that will be the way in 16· ·which we'll proceed. 17· · · · · ·Obviously, sir, you did not understand me.· you 18· ·bring one more over here.· That was Ms. Belshe.· That was 19· ·not me. 20· · · · · ·All right.· So we're going to ask for public 21· ·comment. 22· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· You want -23· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Yes.· And proceed 24· ·accordingly, and then we'll have an opportunity to have 25· ·the staff make its presentation and we will then proceed. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·Phillip Sangany.· Isabelle Engo, Jenny Zywot, ·2· ·Tinan Engo.· Ladies and gentlemen, you should be coming ·3· ·forward.· Amos -- Amos that's about the best I can do ·4· ·right now with that.· I'm being -- Antonio Garza, Alice ·5· ·Morris-Winston.· Don't be bashful.· Come forward.· We're ·6· ·going to try and do this with an appropriate amount of ·7· ·efficiency.· Adriana Fernandez and Linda Kaufman in that ·8· ·order. ·9· · · · · ·Please proceed.· Staff -- well, hello.· Do we 10· ·have any security here?· This young lady's approaching us. 11· ·She might have something up her -12· · · · · ·Hi, there.· What is your name?· Good afternoon. 13· ·Wait a minute, young lady.· I don't blame you.· I want her 14· ·to go right over there and use that microphone.· If 15· ·there's staff here -16· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER.· My name is (inaudible).· I 17· ·am five years old and I made this banner.· When I grow up 18· ·I want to be an astronaut.· And please give funding to 19· ·LAUP children. 20· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· We want to give you 21· ·a microphone, okay?· Would you like a microphone?· You 22· ·sure? 23· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· And are there any 24· ·questions or comments? 25· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Are there any www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·questions or comments?· We have many.· Give her a round of ·2· ·applause.· All right.· Thank you. ·3· · · · · ·(Applause). ·4· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· Now, are ·5· ·there others wishing to be heard? ·6· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· There are no questions or ·7· ·comments, Isabelle.· They accepted your presentation. ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· We acknowledge your ·9· ·presentation with appreciation.· Thank you very much.· All 10· ·right.· Thank you. 11· · · · · ·Now, we want to encourage everyone else to use 12· ·the microphone.· Your name, your rank, and serial number, 13· ·please. 14· · · · · ·MS. ZYWOT:· Good afternoon.· I am Jenny Zywot 15· ·from Redondo Beach, and Isabelle is my student. 16· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right, Isabelle. 17· · · · · ·MS. ZYWOT:· But what I do want to say is that, at 18· ·this age, at the preschool age, this is when they lay the 19· ·foundation for the dreams of their life.· I do have a 20· ·student who is now in college and she wants to be -- get 21· ·her master's degree in advanced math and is looking at 22· ·becoming an astronaut.· And the reason this was an 23· ·important presentation with Isabelle is to let you know 24· ·that dreams are laid during the preschool years.· And now 25· ·we do have someone who made this solar system banner just www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·like Isabelle did and is definitely looking at becoming an ·2· ·astronaut. ·3· · · · · ·So with preschool, there is definitely the space ·4· ·where children are given the ability to dream, to learn. ·5· ·And you as visionaries, we ask that you really take this ·6· ·opportunity to look at preschool and see it as ·7· ·contributing members.· Eventually, they become grown-ups ·8· ·and they will become contributing members to our society. ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. 10· ·Your time has expired.· We'll take the next speaker, 11· ·please.· We appreciate it.· Isabelle, come back any time 12· ·you wish. 13· · · · · ·MS. ENGO:· Hi.· My name is Tinan Engo.· I'm the 14· ·mother of Isabelle Engo.· She's been going to Smart Start 15· ·for a year and she has grown so much and she has learned 16· ·her -- to write, to read, and to draw, and I have -- I 17· ·have I benefit me -- LAUP program has benefit me as is the 18· ·low -- the financial -- financially because I'm a single 19· ·mom.· And she has learned so much in the past year.· Thank 20· ·you. 21· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much 22· ·for your testimony.· We appreciate it.· We'll take the 23· ·next speaker. 24· · · · · ·(Applause) 25· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·Now, Isabelle, you have no right to take over the meeting. ·2· · · · · ·So it's like that?· Yeah.· We're off to a good ·3· ·start now. ·4· · · · · ·Next speaker, please.· Let's see if you can ·5· ·follow that act. ·6· · · · · ·AMOS:· Good afternoon.· I'm also a single father. ·7· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Your name, sir? ·8· · · · · ·AMOS:· Amos. ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Amos.· All right, 10· ·Amos. 11· · · · · ·AMOS:· Yes, I'm a single father of two childs, 12· ·and they're pretty much the same age of that child that 13· ·was here.· And the way she was saying, you know, at that 14· ·age, they learn a lot.· And all these programs that you 15· ·have at schools are being successful helping kids, 16· ·especially at that age, you know, when sometimes parents 17· ·works, they don't have any time to take care of them.· So 18· ·they do.· Schools do and helped a lot.· And if we want to 19· ·have like a good students in the future and good citizens, 20· ·I think those types programs got to keep it going.· We 21· ·need to have it.· Thank you. 22· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you for your 23· ·testimony.· We'll take the next speaker, please. 24· · · · · ·MS. MORRIS-WINSTON:· Amos is a parent at the 25· ·Jeffrey Foundation LAUP program, has two daughters.· One www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·has gone through the program. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Your name, ma'am? ·3· · · · · ·MS. MORRIS-WINSTON:· I'm Alice Morris-Winston.· I ·4· ·was anxious to let Amos be represented.· Anyway, we find ·5· ·that LAUP has been an integral part of the mission of the ·6· ·Jeffrey Foundation, which is to provide specially programs ·7· ·that are for low-income parents.· We do actually work with ·8· ·special needs as well as inclusion.· And these two ·9· ·daughters Amos', one has gone through the program and is 10· ·starting first grade, then we're going to have -- or 11· ·kindergarten, I mean.· Then his little one comes in and 12· ·starts LAUP next year.· We hope that there will be funds 13· ·to continue the programs that are serving the community. 14· ·We've graduated hundreds of them in eight years and, 15· ·hopefully, we'll be in the loop again.· It's a matter of 16· ·-- as Rob Riener once told me when he visited our center, 17· ·this is exactly what we were trying to do with this 18· ·program, is serve the low-income working parent, helping 19· ·parents continue to keep jobs.· Thank you again. 20· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· We thank you for 21· ·your testimony.· We'll take the next speaker, please. 22· · · · · ·MR. GARZA:· Good afternoon.· My name is Antonio 23· ·Garza.· I am a preschool teacher for Hacienda La Puenta 24· ·Unified, and I would like to urge you to please accept 25· ·LAUP's requested budget.· Our children need quality www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·preschool program like the ones provided through LAUP. ·2· ·They need the culture that believes in them and in their ·3· ·potential.· They need opportunities to discover, to ·4· ·invent, and to dream.· The demands that are being placed ·5· ·on our young children when they enter kindergarten can ·6· ·best be met when children are given a strong foundation in ·7· ·preschool.· In Hacienda La Puenta Unified alone, we have ·8· ·had over 1400 preschool students go through our ally of ·9· ·programs.· That's 1400 students who have had a better 10· ·start in school and who were given a chance to succeed. 11· · · · · ·I urge you to please accept LAUP's requested 12· ·budget.· Please continue to foster a culture that values 13· ·the importance of early childhood education.· Thank you. 14· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you for your 15· ·testimony and for your brevity.· We take the next speaker 16· ·now followed by Grace Castro, Marcella Bailey, Maria 17· ·Ramirez, David Crippins, Cecilia Iella, Casey Dalton, 18· ·Lindsay Evans in that order, please. 19· · · · · ·MS. FERNANDEZ:· Good afternoon.· I'm Adriana 20· ·Fernandez as Valley Industry and Commerce Association, 21· ·representing over 370 businesses in the county that have 22· ·created over 100,000 jobs. 23· · · · · ·As a business organization, we understand -- we 24· ·are witnessing the gap between education and the 25· ·workforce.· In order to protect the future of our region www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·and our economy, we must ensure that children have access ·2· ·to quality education and that starts with preschool. ·3· · · · · ·The year the importance of quality preschool has ·4· ·been recognized in an unprecedented manner as an important ·5· ·component of society's future and social and economic ·6· ·success.· Everyone in this room understands more than most ·7· ·what the benefits of preschool are to our children, our ·8· ·families, and our communities.· And everyone in this room ·9· ·should understand the consequences and implications that 10· ·cutting even just one seat will have on our children, 11· ·families, and our communities. 12· · · · · ·If First 5 LA -- or I'm sorry.· If First 5 LA 13· ·cuts preschool services that ensure children are ready6 14· ·for kindergarten, then the message and mission that it has 15· ·committed to for over a decade is null. 16· · · · · ·I want to thank First 5 LA for creating LAUP and 17· ·for continuing to fund quality preschool in our community. 18· ·Thank you. 19· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. 20· ·Next speaker, please. 21· · · · · ·MS. CASTRO:· Hi.· Good afternoon.· My name is 22· ·Grace Castro, and I -- I don't oppose, but what I am here 23· ·for is to stay that I was in the family task team.· I also 24· ·was in the workforce task team when LAUP was first 25· ·created.· So I've been here since it started, which was a www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·big dream.· I believed in it.· I still believe in it.· But ·2· ·I also was a family child care providers when I was ·3· ·selected.· I had been doing it for six years.· My thing is ·4· ·that it has to do with administration for the funds need ·5· ·to continue.· It's for the children.· And I think we need ·6· ·not to forget that.· And I think administration has taken ·7· ·over. ·8· · · · · ·I've had a sour taste experience with LAUP and -·9· ·sweet and sour I should say because I'm here for the 10· ·children.· I am a teacher and I am dedicated to this job. 11· ·But I was bullied by LAUP and I was actually threatened 12· ·not to use this word, but I am going to use it, because it 13· ·has been in my chest for -- since -- since Saya Yella went 14· ·to my house, the CEO of LAUP because if they have a 15· ·support system and the money is going to LAUP, I think 16· ·things should have been done more different. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Ma'am, we thank you 18· ·for your testimony.· And your time has expired.· There's a 19· ·clock that gives indication of the length of time that you 20· ·have.· There are additional remarks you wish to make, we 21· ·would be glad to hear them, but I would respectfully 22· ·request that you submit them in writing so that we will 23· ·not deprive you of your opportunity to be heard but I wish 24· ·to cause everyone to conform with the specified amount of 25· ·time that's being allotted. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·MS. CASTRO:· Thank you so much. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Did you bring g a -·3· · · · · ·MS. CASTRO:· I did bring them. ·4· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right. ·5· ·Excellent.· Thank you. ·6· · · · · ·MS. CASTRO:· Thank you very much. ·7· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Indeed.· Next ·8· ·speaker, please. ·9· · · · · ·MS. BAILEY:· Hello.· My name is Marcella Bailey. 10· ·I'm currently with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.· I've 11· ·spent the last 22 years with Sony Pictures Entertainment 12· ·as the chief information officer and also served as the 13· ·corporate chair for LAUP.· Our job there is to make sure 14· ·that corporate America just really understands the 15· ·importance of early childhood education, be a beacon for 16· ·corporate America and just making sure that we know that 17· ·it's an investment in a child's life that will then yield 18· ·great returns. 19· · · · · ·We always have challenges in finding qualified 20· ·applicants, specifically in the field of technology and 21· ·engineering and math.· This is an area where people are 22· ·actually being paid six figures, but people within Los 23· ·Angeles are not qualified.· And it really starts with 24· ·early childhood education.· It starts with that solid 25· ·foundation that you've heard over and over again.· So www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·thank you very much for your time and would continue just ·2· ·to encourage you to continue to invest in early childhood ·3· ·education the way corporate America is doing so. ·4· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you for your ·5· ·testimony.· We'll take the next speaker, please. ·6· · · · · ·MS. KAUFMAN:· My name is Linda Kaufman, and I'm ·7· ·the director of Beverly Hills Montessori School in West ·8· ·Hollywood.· I've been there longer than West Hollywood has ·9· ·been a city and B comes before W in the phonebook; 10· ·therefore, we got our name. 11· · · · · ·I have two LAUP classrooms.· We service 48 12· ·children every year.· And I want you to know that LAUP is 13· ·an important program.· Our children in our schools speak 14· ·17 languages outside of English at home every day.· We 15· ·don't have what's considered the Westside clientele.· We 16· ·have children that come from all over the county.· Forty 17· ·percent of our children are on fee waivers.· They don't 18· ·pay their fees because they have IEPs, they're foster 19· ·children, they're children under the care of Department of 20· ·Children and Family Services, or they're low income. 21· · · · · ·We're not talking about spaces with LAUP, which 22· ·is what I've heard referred to several times.· We're 23· ·talking about children.· And our yearbook shows the faces 24· ·of the children.· Please remember, we're dealing with 25· ·children in future generations.· And while most us -- I'm www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·running out of time.· I'm sorry, but please support LAUP. ·2· ·Keep us going.· Thank you. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you for your ·4· ·testimony.· We'll take the next speaker, please. ·5· · · · · ·MS. RAMIREZ:· Hello.· My name is Maria Ramirez, ·6· ·and my son is a child of the LAUP program and he attended ·7· ·the Beverly Hills Montessori School in the city of West ·8· ·Hollywood, and I am very grateful of the LAUP program.· It ·9· ·has provided my child with fundamental skills, the skills 10· ·that you need today d for kindergarten's academic 11· ·environment today. 12· · · · · ·The math and literacy and socialization skills 13· ·that my son has acquired through the LAUP program have 14· ·reinforced and reassured him of his independent skills 15· ·needed for kindergarten today.· It's truly a shame to hear 16· ·about the reduction of enrollment to children who need 17· ·preschool especially.· Just the thought of one of many 18· ·children in our community not allowed participation -- I'm 19· ·sorry.· Just my son has been -- he benefited so much from 20· ·this program, and I'm a proud parent, and LAUP has 21· ·provided that for me.· And my daughter is two-years old 22· ·and I would love her to benefit from this program.· This 23· ·program is amazing.· Please support it. 24· ·Thank you. 25· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Thank you very much. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·Next, please. ·2· · · · · ·MR. CRIPPINS:· Good afternoon.· My name is David ·3· ·Crippins.· And as a member of the community for the last ·4· ·40 years, I've seen the difference that investments in ·5· ·early education can make.· I stand here before you as ·6· ·chair of the LAUP board, and I have my fellow board ·7· ·members here as well.· But more importantly, as a member ·8· ·of this community who cares deeply about the future of our ·9· ·children, I urge support of the LAUP budget request of 10· ·64.6 million for fiscal year 2013 and 14, which guarantees 11· ·that 10,760 children will receive quality preschool 12· ·education. 13· · · · · ·LAUP is now being modeled statewide and across 14· ·the country.· You should feel proud.· On behalf of 70,000 15· ·children and another 40,000 yet to be served under the 16· ·existing contract, I wish to thank you for your investment 17· ·and leadership.· Thank you so much. 18· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Thank you, too, sir. 19· ·Thank you so much.· Next. 20· · · · · ·MS. DALTON:· Hello.· My name is Casey Dalton. 21· ·Hello again.· I'm from Happy Bear School.· And we serve 96 22· ·children a day with free preschool.· We're considered in 23· ·the city of Van Nuys, zip code 91405.· We are one of the 24· ·pop schools. 25· · · · · ·I just want to touch on a few things of how -- we www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·all know how wonderful the program is, but how reducing at ·2· ·any level, any amount of either children's spaces or any ·3· ·amount of funding to the providers would be detrimental at ·4· ·this point, that the way we -- we were given a commitment ·5· ·from LAUP, and one that we hold them to and trust that ·6· ·they'll follow through with.· And I know that First 5 -·7· ·and that was that we would have funding.· We gave up our ·8· ·summer so we would have funding through 2016. ·9· · · · · ·I personally as a provider, and I know others 10· ·have as well, made financial commitments and agreements 11· ·with both teachers.· And I'm not talking about contracts. 12· ·I'm talking about trust and an investment in time and an 13· ·investment in training.· And then there are also the 14· ·contracts and the leases signed and the Xerox machines and 15· ·whatnot.· But it looks like I'm off. 16· · · · · ·But I just want to tell that you I look forward 17· ·to working with John as far as tapping into the resources 18· ·that already exist.· We're here and our doors are opened 19· ·as far as showing this model.· Thank you. 20· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Thank you very much. 21· ·Next. 22· · · · · ·MS. EVANS:· Hello.· My name is Lindsay Evans. 23· ·I'm from Un Mundo De Amigos Preschool in Long Beach. 24· ·We've been an LAUP providers in five years, and in that 25· ·time, we've served over 700 children.· The children in my www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·program have gone to kindergarten with the foundation they ·2· ·need for a lifetime of success. ·3· · · · · ·Preschool isn't just about the kids.· It's about ·4· ·the family as a whole.· At Un Mundo, we believe in ·5· ·educating the whole family.· We have a comprehensive ·6· ·program which includes parenting classes. ·7· · · · · ·I'm encouraging you to accept the LAUP budget ·8· ·proposal today.· These children need you.· Their families ·9· ·need you as do thousands of others.· Let's not let them 10· ·down, please. 11· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you for your 12· ·testimony.· We'll proceed to the following speakers. 13· ·Jezebel Morino, Edna Barella, Alvemo Valencia, Alejandra 14· ·Monterro, Jessica Gorsky, Dr. Helen Morgan, Simon Price in 15· ·that order please.· Sir. 16· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· Good afternoon.· My name 17· ·is Alvemo Valencia, and I'm with the office of Assembly 18· ·member Steven Bradford.· I am here to voice his opinion on 19· ·this, the communities, and the constituents of the Second 20· ·District.· He believes that education at the youngest age 21· ·possible is essential, to continue the funding with LAUP. 22· ·There are actually 17 schools within our district -- 17 23· ·preschools, excuse me, within our district.· And he 24· ·believe that's this program would be very beneficial to 25· ·not only the future of these children but the future of www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·this country.· We hope that the program continues, and ·2· ·please support this. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much ·4· ·for your testimony, and our regards to the Assemblyman. ·5· · · · · ·Ma'am, please come forward. ·6· · · · · ·MS. BOMARANO:· Hi.· My name is Hoke Bomarano from ·7· ·Whittier, and I am a parent of an LAUP child who attended ·8· ·Alma preschool in Los Angeles.· I'm very grateful to the ·9· ·LAUP program because it provided my child many of the 10· ·fundamentals such as math, literacy, and socialization 11· ·skills.· My son is on the autism spectrum, so 12· ·socialization was extremely important.· He was able to go 13· ·on to first grade -- I mean, on to kindergarten.· And he 14· ·was very strong academically.· And I feel that by him 15· ·going to his LAUP program, it helped him socially as well. 16· · · · · ·I am also having another child enter this fall, 17· ·and I would like him to have the same opportunity that my 18· ·older child did; therefore, I urge to you accept LAUP's 19· ·requested budget and allow them to continue to serve as 20· ·many preschoolers as possible in the LA county.· Thank 21· ·you. 22· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. 23· ·We'll take the next speaker. 24· · · · · ·MS. BARELLA:· Hello I'm Edna Barella.· I'm the 25· ·program director of Aprieta Child Development Center. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·Aprieta has been an LAUP provider for five years, and in ·2· ·that time, our center has served 653 children.· Currently, ·3· ·I have 144 children and families enrolled for project year ·4· ·'13/'14, and 127 on my waiting list.· The numbers continue ·5· ·to grow every year.· In fact, I have 119 children and ·6· ·families on my waiting list for program year '14/'15. ·7· ·Every year, I have to turn away hundreds of families from ·8· ·preschool because there is not enough space available. ·9· · · · · ·It is shameful to continue to add to the waiting 10· ·list by reducing the amount of children LAUP serves.· The 11· ·cost of investment for preschool services upfront versus 12· ·later educational problems, challenges and costs in 13· ·getting children ready for learning will be a less cost 14· ·later for delayed learning, discipline, and juvenile 15· ·problems resulting from lack of upfront costs. 16· · · · · ·Please select option one and do not reduce the 17· ·number of children in preschools by reducing LAUP budget. 18· ·Thank you. 19· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. 20· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA-VILLA:· Are you from 21· ·Aprieta Del Bario? 22· · · · · ·MS. BARELLA:· Yes. 23· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All Right.· Thank 24· ·you very much for the clarification.· Sir. 25· · · · · ·MR. MONTERRO:· Good afternoon.· My name is www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·Alexander Monterro.· I'm the executive director for the ·2· ·South Bay University Child Development Center and a member ·3· ·of the Hawthorne School District board of trustees. ·4· · · · · ·First, on behalf of the Hawthorn community, I ·5· ·would like to express my gratitude and thank you for all ·6· ·you have done for the LAUP program since 2005.· Today we ·7· ·are here to ask all of you to continue funding LAUP on ·8· ·it's currently level and strongly urge you to sustain the ·9· ·number of children served by LAUP. 10· · · · · ·As LAUP center and a member of the Hawthorne 11· ·School District board of trustees, we have three centers 12· ·that serve a total of 430 children in our LAUP program 13· ·every day.· LAUP provides -- LAUP provides and the 14· ·networks are not just preschool sights.· They promote and 15· ·provide service that implement the core mission of the 16· ·First 5 LA commission.· We offer these children and their 17· ·families a wide range of service that go beyond preschool, 18· ·such as health nutrition, meals thanks to the California 19· ·Free Lunch program, free vision screening in partnership 20· ·with UCLA, free dental screening in partnership with local 21· ·dentists, health screens in partnership with several 22· ·providers such as Leed Company of Mary, social service 23· ·through the DCFS, Dede Hush, Richstone Family Center, et 24· ·cetera. 25· · · · · ·So if you see, LAUP is not just preschool.· It's www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·a one-stop center and, therefore, LAUP serves 10,700 ·2· ·childrens and their families.· It is this commission ·3· ·priority of being champion for our children.· Please do ·4· ·not reduce LAUP funding or reduce space because for every ·5· ·child you cut out of this program, you are failing your ·6· ·mission of being champion for all children.· Thank you. ·7· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you for your ·8· ·testimony and our regards to our colleagues on the board ·9· ·of education in Hawthorne. 10· · · · · ·Ma'am. 11· · · · · ·MS. GORSKY:· Good afternoon.· My name is Dasha 12· ·Gorsky.· I'm a parent ambassador for LAUP.· I'm a parent 13· ·of 10-year old twins who attended the LAUP site in Little 14· ·Tikes Daycare in Long Beach.· My twins would not have been 15· ·able to go to preschool if it wasn't for LAUP because I'm 16· ·a middle class family and we don't -- we don't qualify for 17· ·anything, and LAUP you don't have to qualify. 18· · · · · ·So I'm grateful for the LAUP program that 19· ·provided my children with math, literacy, socialization 20· ·skills, and to be ready for kindergarten.· My boys were 21· ·given an academic advantage, being able to go to an LAUP 22· ·facility.· Both of my boys are doing very well in school. 23· ·I have one who is GATE identified and passed the math -24· ·the state math test, totally maxed it.· And I'm sure it's 25· ·because of the LAUP -- the schooling that he got. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·I ask to you please accept LAUP's budget requests ·2· ·so all the children are the future.· So please consider ·3· ·it.· Thank you. ·4· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you.· Sophia ·5· ·Leon, Rhonda Marie Devall, J.D. Kennedy, Stacy Martinez. ·6· · · · · ·If you would please come forward, ma'am. ·7· · · · · ·MS. MORGAN:· Good afternoon.· Thank you for the ·8· ·opportunity to address you.· My name is Helen Morgan.· I ·9· ·am the superintendent of the Hawthorne school district, 10· ·and very proudly have two sites in our school district of 11· ·LAUP.· I can speak from my educational experience and my 12· ·daily experience that LAUP has had a huge impact in our 13· ·district for our families, for our teachers.· If I talk to 14· ·any kindergarten teacher, they can tell you which children 15· ·in their class attended our LAUP programs.· It's a quality 16· ·program that's making a difference in the lives of our 17· ·children. 18· · · · · ·Our school district serves a population of 19· ·approximately 91 percent of socioeconomically 20· ·disadvantaged students, a very high number of second 21· ·language learners, and LAUP is bridging the gap they may 22· ·experience.· If it weren't for this program, they would 23· ·definitely come to kindergarten with a disadvantage.· Our 24· ·kindergarteners are doing great.· We have a full-day 25· ·kindergarten program in our district.· Our students are www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·being prepared for the future.· And we appreciate all that ·2· ·you have done and encourage you to continue do it. ·3· ·Thank you so much. ·4· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. ·5· ·We'll take the next speaker. ·6· · · · · ·MR. PRICE:· Hello.· My name is Simon Price from ·7· ·the Palmdale/Lancaster area, the upper area of the LA ·8· ·county.· And I represent Bird's Nest Learning Academy.· I ·9· ·just want to share my experience with having three 10· ·children, two of which were not able to go to that academy 11· ·that we had to spend the money outside of our budget to 12· ·get them to preschool so they could be prepared for 13· ·kindergarten, and one that did.· The thing that we've 14· ·noticed the most is that we have a loving environment for 15· ·our kids with a low ratio for student-to-child (sic) 16· ·ratio, which allows them the interaction they need for 17· ·learning.· They've made new friends.· They've allowed us 18· ·to engage the community in a way that helps them to 19· ·function more outside than inside of the school to build 20· ·more connections.· They've had wonderful field trip that 21· ·have promoted our children to want to continue on to and 22· ·to go into higher education, to reach those goals they've 23· ·said.· And my child is now prepared for kindergarten.· He 24· ·can now add and count, identify letters.· He can make -25· ·he can sound out words and read, and he learned important www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·social school skills that allow him to work well with ·2· ·others for the rest of his life. ·3· · · · · ·Thank you very much for your time. ·4· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you for your ·5· ·testimony.· We'll take the next speaker. ·6· · · · · ·MS. LEON:· Good afternoon.· My name is Sylvia ·7· ·Leon.· I'm a non-LAUP preschool teacher.· I have taught ·8· ·for 34 years in LA Unified School District.· The last ·9· ·year, I had the pleasure of being awarded LAUP preschooler 10· ·teacher of the year.· So this is how I got to know the 11· ·organization. 12· · · · · ·I'm here to today to advocate for the families 13· ·that I have worked so closely with for so many years. 14· ·They need your help.· They need your help to break the 15· ·cycle of poverty, which is at the heart of the achievement 16· ·gap.· LAUP insures that the children of our community have 17· ·the readiness skills and concepts needed for the rigorous 18· ·kindergarten curriculum that awaits these children. 19· ·Kindergarten is not what it used to be.· It's very, very 20· ·tough. 21· · · · · ·Children who are not ready for kindergarten are 22· ·and those same children who are not ready for first grade 23· ·and those who will not make -- meet the academic standards 24· ·later on.· Without high preschool programs in our 25· ·community, the achievement gap is going to widen to an www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·achievement Grand Canyon.· So please accept LAUP's request ·2· ·for their budget.· Thank you. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. ·4· ·Glad I graduated from kindergarten when I did.· It could ·5· ·have been a problem. ·6· · · · · ·MS. CHUEVI:· Hello.· My name is Rhonda Marie ·7· ·Chuevi, and I'm from Kids-n-Me preschool in Redondo Beach, ·8· ·and I'm one of the newcomers to LAUP.· I've been with them ·9· ·for a little over a year.· And I can't tell you what an 10· ·impact that they've had at my family child care.· It's 11· ·been amazing.· The parents in my area are so, so grateful. 12· ·And to get -- give a break to us, what the one woman said, 13· ·for middle-class family, to be able to get a break to take 14· ·their children to preschool and get a discount is amazing 15· ·to them.· And they're so grateful and their more than 16· ·willing to do anything that you need in your school. 17· · · · · ·And for -- I think we need to keep our heart 18· ·where it should be, and that's with the children.· This is 19· ·about kids.· This is about the impact that we're going to 20· ·have on their life.· And all of us that do this job, we're 21· ·role models to these kids every day.· And LAUP has given 22· ·us the best of the best for us to do this work. 23· · · · · ·Thank you very much. 24· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· We thank you. 25· · · · · ·I'm going to ask that Sydney Kanlager come www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·forward followed by Cindy Riding and we'll hear from Adera ·2· ·Ragy, Umberto Lopez, and Sameta Gibbons in that order, ·3· ·please, sir. ·4· · · · · ·MR. KENNEDY:· Good afternoon.· My name is J.D. ·5· ·Kennedy.· I represent Congressman McKean, and I'm ·6· ·currently the commander of the new Hall of America Legion ·7· ·in Santa Clarita, both of which strongly oppose any cuts ·8· ·to the service of children in LAUP by decreasing ·9· ·enrollment in the LAUP program. 10· · · · · ·Access to quality preschool is a necessity for 11· ·many active-duty families and the demands of military 12· ·service are tough with frequent deployments, standing 13· ·duty, training, unpredictable work schedules, and long 14· ·hours.· These demands affect not only our enlisted, but 15· ·the families too.· Military spouses often workout side the 16· ·home, continue their education, and play the role of a 17· ·single parent.· Families in the Armed Forces often rely on 18· ·quality preschool as an important part of their support 19· ·network.· And for children in military families, quality 20· ·preschool is a safe and culturally-sensitive environment 21· ·where they can learn, grow, and achieve the skills needed 22· ·to transition to kindergarten and beyond. 23· · · · · ·For young developing children, quality preschool 24· ·offers a foundation that is a stabilizing contrast to the 25· ·stressful demands of military family life.· Children whom www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·attend quality preschool are less likely to drop out of ·2· ·high school and more like to graduate college. ·3· · · · · ·I'm out of time, but I'd like to submit a full, ·4· ·written comment to you.· Congressman McKean and the ·5· ·American Legion strongly oppose any cuts to LAUP. ·6· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· We thank you very ·7· ·much.· We thank you for our testimony and our regards to ·8· ·the congressman. ·9· · · · · ·All right.· Take the next speaker. 10· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· Good afternoon.· My name 11· ·is Hector (inaudible).· I'm the executive director of 12· ·Mother's Club Family Learning Center in Pasadena.· We 13· ·serve the most neediest families in northwest Pasadena 14· ·through a two-generation learning model.· We are an LAUP 15· ·site.· I urge you to approve the LAUP budget at its 16· ·current levels.· And the visual I'll give you with respect 17· ·to all the comments and impact that LAUP does have in our 18· ·communities.· This year we graduated or promoted 21 kids. 19· ·That's the number of kids we serve through LAUP.· But over 20· ·250 family members attended.· That is just an amazing 21· ·picture and impact, and I would not want to take that 22· ·experience away from any of our kids and our families. 23· · · · · ·Thank you. 24· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you. 25· · · · · ·MS. MARTINEZ:· Hi.· My name is Stacy Martinez. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·I'm a parent of three children, but two have served in the ·2· ·LAUP -- or got LAUP services in Arleta.· I cannot tell you ·3· ·how much it's helped my family.· My youngest son is going ·4· ·to, hopefully, be able to attend, and I would hate to ·5· ·think that he would not be able to because the spaces were ·6· ·cut. ·7· · · · · ·They provide socialization, everything that ·8· ·they've already mention, and I'm assure you're aware of ·9· ·it.· And, again, my daughter just graduated kindergarten 10· ·and she eased through it because of, I believe, the LAUP 11· ·program.· Thank you. 12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you.· Next 13· ·speaker, please. 14· · · · · ·MS. KAMLAGER:· Good afternoon, Chair and 15· ·Commissioners.· My name is Sydney Kamlager, and I'm 16· ·district director for Assembly Member Holly Mitchell of 17· ·the 54th Assembly District.· I'm here on her behalf to 18· ·encourage you all to support this budget.· She would say 19· ·that it's a sad day when we have to plead with our own to 20· ·support this kind of budget and not make additional cuts. 21· ·And we know that quality preschool and the programs coming 22· ·out of LAUP work. 23· · · · · ·A recent article came out not to too long ago 24· ·reiterating a study from years ago that says that working 25· ·poor children hear 32 million words less than children www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·from well-off families by the time they enter preschool. ·2· ·And we know that, if they're in a quality preschool ·3· ·setting, those numbers don't happen. ·4· · · · · ·As chair of budgets sub one and health and human ·5· ·service, as chair of the California Legislative Black ·6· ·Caucus, and as the former executive director of Crystal ·7· ·Stairs, she would say that not supporting this kind of ·8· ·budget and making cuts is inexcusable.· Especially ·9· ·considering now she's in the legislature, she would also 10· ·say that now the State is coming into a surplus and has 11· ·begun to reinvest in critical social services, safety net 12· ·services, and early education services, we should be doing 13· ·the same at this level.· Thank you. 14· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· We thank you for 15· ·your testimony.· We give our regards to the Assembly Woman 16· ·indeed. 17· · · · · ·Sir, please come forward. 18· · · · · ·MR. LOPEZ:· Good afternoon.· My name is Umberto 19· ·Lopez.· I represent a wonderful organization by the name 20· ·of PACE.· And my son, he's four-years old.· He's 21· ·transitioning into kindergarten this year.· I just wanted 22· ·to tell you basically what the program did for me and my 23· ·son.· I'm a single father.· It did everything, absolutely 24· ·everything.· I grew up in Los Angeles.· This is my 25· ·backyard.· To be specific, on Pico and Vermont.· The only www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·thing promised to me growing up was prison.· Okay.· I'm so ·2· ·thankful.· I was lucky enough to come back, get back, and ·3· ·get some.· And the reason why I did it was because of ·4· ·PACE.· They provided more than I could express right now. ·5· ·But I want you to know that what it really does to these ·6· ·kids, it builds them, it builds schools, it builds homes, ·7· ·it builds communities, it continues to build. ·8· · · · · ·I just started in September.· I can't even begin ·9· ·to tell you everything I've done. 10· · · · · ·Thank you.· Thank you very much.· I hope that the 11· ·budget passes.· Thank you. 12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you. 13· · · · · ·(Applause). 14· · · · · ·MS. GIBBONS:· Hi.· My name is Sametha Gibbons, 15· ·and I'm the site supervisors at Kids-R-Us Community 16· ·Childcare Center.· And our program is a part of the LAUP 17· ·network and has been for six years.· We have served over 18· ·200 children.· And being a part of that network has 19· ·allowed us to provide children in our area a quality 20· ·program that helps to give them a great advantage when 21· ·they start kindergarten.· Many of our parents come back, 22· ·write, call, and tell us the great things that their 23· ·children are doing.· I'm asking that you approve the 24· ·budget that LAUP has submitted to you so that those 25· ·children that are still in that area have that same www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·advantage that the children in our program have already ·2· ·had.· I thank you your time. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· I thank you for your ·4· ·testimony. ·5· · · · · ·We'll take the balance of the speakers, which are ·6· ·Stephanie Cohen, Marcella Bailey, Fellow Pastor, Susan ·7· ·Telebian, and Jeffrey Wallace.· The final speaker on the ·8· ·item will be Delilah Iella.· In that order please, thank ·9· ·you. 10· · · · · ·MS. RIDING:· I don't know if we're in order or 11· ·not.· I know I'm the next speaker. 12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· You are in order. 13· · · · · ·MS. RIDING:· Thank you.· My name is Cynthia 14· ·Riding.· I'm the executive director of Kid's Corner 15· ·Preschool and the Van Nuys Civic Child Development Center, 16· ·both LAUP schools.· We've been providers since 2004, and 17· ·we were lucky to be part of the pilot program.· We've 18· ·graduated 1,300 children out of our LAUP programs, 71 19· ·percent are now on the LA Unified School District magnet 20· ·program.· Currently, we have 302 at one school on the 21· ·waiting list and 168 at the other. 22· · · · · ·It's shameful.· We feel so bad that I have to 23· ·turn away children every single year because there isn't 24· ·enough space for every four-year old in LA county to go to 25· ·preschool. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·I just want to leave you with a motto of LAUP. ·2· ·It's not just for kids.· It's for families.· It's for ·3· ·communities.· It's for the county of LA, the State of ·4· ·California, and our country.· Please vote not to cut the ·5· ·budget.· Let First 5 lead the way and show them how do it ·6· ·right. ·7· · · · · ·Thank you so much for your support. ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· Thank ·9· ·you. 10· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· Hello.· My name is Adera 11· ·(inaudible).· I'm the mother of three children.· Cutting 12· ·this program, it's going to affect everybody, especially 13· ·families.· I'm a single mother.· My husband passed away of 14· ·cancer in '07.· And they provided support all the way.· My 15· ·kids are doing very well.· My youngest is in the gifted 16· ·program.· And it will be sad to take away this program for 17· ·many other children to take the opportunity to get this 18· ·education.· And I just want to say that because some 19· ·families cannot afford a high education, and this was a 20· ·great opportunity for families.· Thank you. 21· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· We thank you.· All 22· ·right.· We acknowledge the applause, but we want to 23· ·proceed accordingly. 24· · · · · ·MS. PASTOR:· Good afternoon my name is Rachelle 25· ·Pastor.· And I apologize you cannot read my writing.· I'm www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·with PACE, Pacific Asia Consortium Employment.· And ·2· ·Umberto is one of our parents, one of 2,000 parents that ·3· ·we have at PACE.· Although it's not primarily LAUP funded, ·4· ·it's important for our community, our children to continue ·5· ·the funding as is.· With the cuts we're seeing in ·6· ·Headstart, with the cuts in sequestration, with the cuts ·7· ·we've seen at the state level, I don't feel that this is ·8· ·the time to start cutting more slots in preschool.· So I ·9· ·urge you to support the LAUP budget as submitted.· Thank 10· ·you. 11· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. 12· · · · · ·MS. COHEN:· Hi, there.· My name is Stephanie 13· ·Cohen, field representative for Assembly Member Richard 14· ·Bloom, District 50.· I'm here on behalf of the Assembly 15· ·Member to request that you approve budget option Number 1. 16· ·Thank you. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. 18· ·Our regards to the Assemblyman. 19· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· Good afternoon, ladies and 20· ·gentlemen.· My name is Dr. Susan (inaudible), and I'm 21· ·honored to be here, first of all, on behalf of families, 22· ·children that we serve at Jeffrey Foundation.· I'm 23· ·children program director there and also I'm an educator. 24· ·I have an opportunity to work with high-risk, at-risk 25· ·children who actually deal with homelessness, deal with www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·lot of social emotional issues on daily basis.· And my -·2· ·I myself, I am proficient only and I learn from them every ·3· ·day of my work. ·4· · · · · ·At our site, we do provide services to our ·5· ·children through LAUP program and we are honored to serve ·6· ·unserved children in District 2.· So on behalf of ·7· ·everybody who work with me, all the families, Mr. Amos and ·8· ·all the families who are like Mr. Amos' family, I'm asking ·9· ·to you please support the LAUP program.· Thank you. 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. 11· · · · · ·Final speaker, please. 12· · · · · ·MR. WALLACE:· Good afternoon.· My name is Jeffrey 13· ·Wallace, and I serve as the senior program officer of the 14· ·Los Angeles Urban League, a 92-year old institution who is 15· ·committed to community development and transformation 16· ·through service delivery and advocacy. 17· · · · · ·Today I rise as a voice of 60 percent of the 18· ·fourth grade boys of color in LAUSD that cannot read at 19· ·proficiency.· I rise to arrest your attention about the 50 20· ·percent of adults above the age of 25 who have not 21· ·received their high school diploma.· And last but not 22· ·least, today I rise to advocate for LA universal preschool 23· ·and the actual model of systemic social change that has 24· ·proven its effectiveness in addressing the achievement gap 25· ·that currently plagues the thousands of underserved www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·communities across -- community members across our county. ·2· ·Although the Urban League's preschool infrastructure ·3· ·currently serves 120 families and children, today we are ·4· ·here to champion the need for First 5 LA commission to ·5· ·continue to invest in LAUPs efforts to insure thriving and ·6· ·effective centers of early education are pervasive across ·7· ·the communities that need them the most. ·8· · · · · ·As I take my seat, I commend the commission for ·9· ·looking beyond the immediate outcomes of LAUP's efforts 10· ·and focusing on the long-term return on investments and 11· ·impact your decision to support this suggested budget will 12· ·make.· I ask that you strongly consider any supporting the 13· ·budget without any reductions.· Thank you. 14· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· We thank you for 15· ·your testimony.· Dr. Iella. 16· · · · · ·DR. IELLA:· Good afternoon, Mr. Chair. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· I'm going to extend 18· ·you the courtesy of a few extra moments, but you are the 19· ·final person to be heard on the public comment. 20· · · · · ·DR. IELLA:· Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and 21· ·dear Commissioners. 22· · · · · ·First of all, I'd like to acknowledge, in 23· ·addition to David Crippins, our board chair, we do have 24· ·other board members here that are in the room, and that's 25· ·Jean Bixby-Smith, our past chair; Victor Pameri, who's www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·been our past chair; Anna Valdez who's been on our board ·2· ·for a years; Andora (inaudible), our newest board member ·3· ·appointed by supervisor Canabe.· Dr. Al Osborne could not ·4· ·be here.· He's en route to or in Seattle already, but he ·5· ·wanted to share what he would have testified had he been ·6· ·here.· So I'd like to pass these out to the Commission. ·7· · · · · ·In addition, I'd like to acknowledge and thank ·8· ·Marcella Bailey because it is unique that we do have a ·9· ·corporate counsel established to help us with our 10· ·sustainability efforts. 11· · · · · ·I want to just highlight a couple of things.· One 12· ·is that Umberto, the parent from PACE, said it for his 13· ·child, and I know that you all know because you are 14· ·advocating on behalf of children because children do not 15· ·have a vote and many of them do not have a voice.· But we 16· ·are here to speak on their behalf and to thank you because 17· ·you have served over 70,000 children through the funding 18· ·that's invested in LAUP. 19· · · · · ·I'd like to give you two handouts.· One, which is 20· ·a long sheet because, once you're over 30, it's hard to 21· ·see on one pagers.· But I wanted to highlight that the 22· ·investment that's you've made starting in 2004 and 23· ·starting the service in 2005, which is coming in a long 24· ·sheet that you can see, you have invested $580,000,000, 25· ·but that has brought in an additional $92,000,000 in the www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·services and in the existing contract that we modified in ·2· ·2009 to have us go through 2016.· And so we've been ·3· ·working on that path and we have brought in additional ·4· ·dollars or leveraged the dollars to bring in more services ·5· ·to LA county.· So it's important that you realize that the ·6· ·dollars you've invested have already yielded, outside of ·7· ·the First 5 LA dollars, an additional $92,000,000.· Very ·8· ·important. ·9· · · · · ·In addition, through the work in collaboration 10· ·with First 5 LA through Math America, we have results that 11· ·are evident in all of our upcost studies from 2007 to the 12· ·most recent, 2011-12 since -- because we don't have the 13· ·last year results.· But in addition to the preschool 14· ·children and through the emphasis in addressing the 15· ·workforce issues through the workforce consortia, we have 16· ·now touched over 8,000 people that are working with our 17· ·youngsters besides LAUP children.· And we've done that 18· ·with our partnership with LA County Office of Education, 19· ·with the resource and referrals, with ECE works, which is 20· ·advocating for the policy changes in terms of what we do, 21· ·through the work in terms UCLA and their school of -- the 22· ·Anderson school. 23· · · · · ·So there's a lot that has been done through the 24· ·emphasis originally of LAUP as a preschool program through 25· ·the workforce.· But ultimately what you see here today is www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·some of the people that spoke are parents.· Parents like ·2· ·Tasha who have children that are ten-years old who are ·3· ·advocating in their local communities, their local ·4· ·representatives that every child in LA county, in the ·5· ·State of California, and in the nation should have access ·6· ·to high-quality preschool programs.· For me, it is ·7· ·impressive what we've been able to do and we're not done. ·8· ·Because we are looking at the state and the federal ·9· ·dollars that are being addressed in terms of the 10· ·President's proposal and through legislators like the 11· ·representatives that we had here to address the needs of 12· ·zero to five.· And you do have a model program in serving 13· ·preschool children. 14· · · · · ·I urge you to support our original budget as 15· ·submitted because it is about positioning and it is about 16· ·investing in the sustainability of LAUP beyond 2016. 17· · · · · ·I also can tell you that we are ready with our 18· ·board to come back as you've asked in October with a plan 19· ·in terms of what we would look for in terms of a multiyear 20· ·plan that we utilize the $580,000,000 that were allocated 21· ·in 2004 and take us through 2017 so that we would add one 22· ·more year at a lower rate, but we would -- our board is 23· ·committed to come up with a plan as an independent board 24· ·to give you the idea of how it is that we're going to 25· ·continue to meet the current contract needs but also to www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·look at a future sustainability to address your concern ·2· ·and ours.· There are no more -- there are no more ·3· ·concerned people than these individuals about the ·4· ·sustainability of the LAUP as our board as equally as you ·5· ·are. ·6· · · · · ·So since First 5 has invested in LAUP, you have ·7· ·accomplished more than what I believe we had thought we ·8· ·would accomplish in 2009 where we thought it was the time ·9· ·to begin dwindling down.· We have continued to thrive.· We 10· ·have continued to meet our performance-based elements in 11· ·our contract.· And so I urge you that this is not the time 12· ·to think less.· This is the time to think more because I 13· ·truly believe that our present thoughts determine our 14· ·future.· And I happen to think big and I happen to believe 15· ·that we're going to be serving more children, not 16· ·necessarily just with First 5 dollars from this county, 17· ·but from state, federal, and other dollars. 18· · · · · ·So thank you very much for your attention and 19· ·your commitment to children because it is on behalf of 20· ·them that we are here today.· Thank you. 21· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much. 22· ·All right.· I would like to call on the staff to come 23· ·forward with the report.· That does close the public 24· ·comment portion of the agenda. 25· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Thank you, Mr. Chair.· And I want to www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·offer some opening comments and thank the many people who ·2· ·have come in and spoke, including members of the LAUP ·3· ·board as well as Celia, all of whom spoke very eloquently ·4· ·to the power of preschool, the power of quality preschool ·5· ·which I think speaks very directly to what First 5 LA is ·6· ·supportive of and has really provided a significant ·7· ·investments of financial resources and energy in terms of ·8· ·supporting the creation of LAUP and supporting it to do ·9· ·all the good work that it has done for many years and we 10· ·hope will do for many years to come.· And the, indeed, the 11· ·story LAUP has to tell in our judgment is the terrific 12· ·example of the kind of story we need to be bringing to 13· ·Sacramento, bringing to Washington in terms of how 14· ·important quality early education services are to 15· ·improving the educational and life trajectory of children. 16· ·So I don't think there's any quarrel at all in terms of 17· ·excellent work that LAUP has done. 18· · · · · ·I just want to say a few words to frame Aleece's 19· ·presentation in terms of how what we've tried to do is 20· ·simplify or clarify the decisions before the board today. 21· ·So first is to determine the level of financial support to 22· ·LAUP in the budget year which began a month ago.· And to 23· ·be clear, none of the options before the board reduces 24· ·LAUP's funding from existing levels.· And, indeed, two of 25· ·the three options call for an augmentation above its www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·current level of resources in recent years. ·2· · · · · ·Secondly, we are asking the board for its support ·3· ·to request that LAUP provide us, this board and staff, ·4· ·with a forecast or a plan for how to maintain a higher ·5· ·what we've called sustainability fund balance that would ·6· ·enable it, at the close of the current time, when the ·7· ·contract's slated to end of Y15/16, to extend that ·8· ·contract for an additional year through 2016/17.· Two ·9· ·points I want to emphasize here:· Number one, the intent 10· ·is for LAUP to develop the options and come back much like 11· ·what we just heard Celia Iela speak to. 12· · · · · ·Further, the intent of this forecast is to inform 13· ·decisions in the future. 14· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Just a moment on 15· ·that because I want to push through this some of this.· Is 16· ·there any resistance to that latter point that was just 17· ·made by the executive director in terms of a 18· ·sustainability plan going forward coming to our attention 19· ·by the board of LAUP?· I think it makes eminently good 20· ·sense to cause that to happen.· We need to be date certain 21· ·about that.· It would seem to me that it's reasonable to 22· ·have that come to our attention no later than 60 days from 23· ·now.· No later than that.· And it would seem that, if we 24· ·can get that piece of business off the table, we would 25· ·speak to some of the stated concerns about accountability www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·and trying to look forward to what sustainability looks ·2· ·like, and more importantly self-determination. ·3· · · · · ·Is there a motion to sustain that sentiment? ·4· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· So just to be clear, supervisor, the ·5· ·idea of LAUP working with us to develop a plan or some ·6· ·options for how to maintain a higher First 5 LA fund ·7· ·balance to extend our support for an additional fiscal ·8· ·year.· That's what I had just spoken to and I think what ·9· ·Celia spoke to as well.· That's something we would want to 10· ·work together in terms of what are the options for 11· ·maintaining sufficient resources within that $580,000,000 12· ·to extend support for LAUP for an additional year at some 13· ·level. 14· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Beyond the currently 15· ·funded '15/'16 scenario.· Is that not correct? 16· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· For an additional year to '16/'17. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· So the issue is to 18· ·invite LAUP to participate in and lead the effort to talk 19· ·about what life looks like beyond '15/'16.· That's 20· ·essentially what is being put on the table. 21· · · · · ·I want to be very clear about something now.· At 22· ·this juncture, the extent of time that LAUP has on the 23· ·books for First 5 LA is fiscal year '15/'16.· All of us 24· ·should be clear about that.· Suggestion here is to talk 25· ·about how that might move beyond that point in time.· But www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·it is not to be interpreted that there is any formal ·2· ·determination by this board at this time that it will be ·3· ·beyond '15/'16.· We're trying to talk about how we can get ·4· ·beyond that and inviting a conversation that is ·5· ·collaborative in nature that might facilitate that.· And I ·6· ·wish to see the beginning of such a document appear before ·7· ·the board no later than 60 days from this conversation. ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· Is there a motion that's ·9· ·needed? 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Yes, it is. 11· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· I'll so need. 12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Move and seconded. 13· ·Any further discussion on that? 14· · · · · ·Commissioner Kaufman, please. 15· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· It's really just a point 16· ·of clarification.· Kim said one thing and you didn't say 17· ·exactly the same thing.· So to clarify, does that mean 18· ·that the amount of money that is available between now and 19· ·the end of '14/'15 I think it's 180 million. 20· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Before the end of '15/'16. 21· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· End of '15/'16.· No 22· ·additional amount for the conversation between now and two 23· ·months from now would added to that, or is it that so that 24· ·it would be to extend that total amount of funding in some 25· ·method to the fourth year, or is it additional funds could www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·be available? ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· I want to be clear ·3· ·about what I said and I do not believe that the executive ·4· ·director spoke to this.· The extent of the determination ·5· ·of First 5 LA funding of LAUP goes to '15/'16 as is.· What ·6· ·we are essentially attempting to do is invite a ·7· ·conversation that potentially looks at what life might be ·8· ·beyond that point in time.· But at this juncture, there is ·9· ·no determination in terms of allocation of resources that 10· ·would facilitate that.· Is that clear? 11· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· I let me say it in my 12· ·language. 13· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Speak your language 14· ·of a pediatrician.· We can all get that. 15· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· LAUP and First 5 LA would 16· ·come back in, let's say, 60 days with LAUP's proposal of 17· ·how they could extend one more year, which may or may not 18· ·include additional First 5 LA funding for that fourth 19· ·year.· Is that what you're saying? 20· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· You try your 21· ·language; I'm going to use mine.· I'm more comfortable 22· ·with what I'm saying. 23· · · · · ·There is an existing allocation for First 5 LA 24· ·resources to LAUP that takes us through June 30th, 2016. 25· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Correct. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· That's a finite ·2· ·amount of money.· The discussion that I'm seeking to put ·3· ·forward pursuant to the suggestion or comment offered by ·4· ·the executive director, the motion by Commissioner ·5· ·Browning, is to take up a discussion with LAUP to involve ·6· ·them in a conversation about sustainability of LAUP beyond ·7· ·June 30th, 2016, but there is no stated allocation that ·8· ·attaches to it as an action of this board.· It is ·9· ·essentially to invite a conversation to explore what life 10· ·may look like and do it in a collaborative way. 11· · · · · ·All right?· It's been moved.· Is there a second? 12· · · · · ·It's been properly move and seconded.· Is there 13· ·any further discussion?· Any need for further 14· ·clarification?· Please record unanimous vote. 15· · · · · ·Madam executive director, proceed. 16· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· This way be a way to work through 17· ·the presentation very quickly. 18· · · · · ·So a third point I wanted to make is, one issue 19· ·is budget year, augmentation, some of the considerations 20· ·which Aleece will speak to in a moment.· The second issue 21· ·was the issue we just discussed which I think we have 22· ·reasonable clarity on and I'm confident that Celia and I 23· ·and our respective teams will bring further clarity over 24· ·the course of the next number of weeks before our next 25· ·meeting with the board. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·The third decision point that we are recommending ·2· ·is that staff be directed to develop an early childhood ·3· ·education what we're calling environmental scan and ·4· ·assessment, which is intended to really take a snapshot in ·5· ·a reasonably detailed way, but we've got to be mindful of ·6· ·bandwidth and timing.· But really to take a look at what ·7· ·services supports, populations serves, gaps, et cetera, at ·8· ·it relates to the ECE landscape in here in LA county.· And ·9· ·the intent here is to provide our board, as well as the 10· ·community more broadly, with a more comprehensive picture 11· ·of what is going on around ECE with an eye toward our 12· ·role, our contributions, our partnerships and investments, 13· ·including LAUP.· So that is trying to put the work we are 14· ·doing in early care and education in a broader context, 15· ·again, with an eye towards helping to inform First 5 LA 16· ·strategies, investments, and partnerships going forward. 17· · · · · ·I want to turn to Aleece to talk through 18· ·specifically I think it's really the budget options. 19· ·Again, none of which represent a cut.· Two of the three 20· ·represent an augmentation over current levels.· The 21· ·recommendations that we have brought forward have been 22· ·intended to insure that LAUP has sufficient budget years 23· ·resources to meet many of its growing needs while at same 24· ·time insuring that this board and future boards have 25· ·critical information to inform their decision making, www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·recognizing that LAUP is but one of a number of financial ·2· ·responsibilities we have, and this board and future boards ·3· ·have some very important and difficult fiduciary ·4· ·responsibilities regarding the allocation of resources ·5· ·today as well as into the future. ·6· · · · · ·So, Aleece, maybe you can focus your presentation ·7· ·principally I think on the budget year issue, which will ·8· ·be the most important for the board members in their ·9· ·considerations. 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Before doing that, I 11· ·want to get back to, in the interest of clarity and 12· ·efficiency, your point two, which is the environmental 13· ·scan.· It would seem to be that the discussion about early 14· ·childhood education, universal preschool is broader than 15· ·-- right -- LAUP. 16· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Absolutely. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· I want to make sure 18· ·that what we are embarking upon is a conversation that 19· ·looks at the various elements of early childhood 20· ·education, universal preschool, and bring it all together 21· ·for the board's evolving consciousness and increased 22· ·commitment to the advancement of early childhood education 23· ·as a robust component of the work of First 5 LA.· It is 24· ·not only robust, but coherent.· There is a coherence. 25· · · · · ·Now, what I'm seeking to clarify is not looking www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·exclusively at LAUP, but all of the pieces as I indicated ·2· ·to you in our conversation earlier.· I'm not sure that ·3· ·that's what you said, but that's what I would like to ·4· ·recommend that we do. ·5· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· And thank you for the opportunity to ·6· ·clarify.· And Aleece can touch -- get into this in a bit ·7· ·more detail, but the intent is to look at the continuum of ·8· ·services zero to five.· So recognizing four-year olds, ·9· ·obviously, is the focus of LAUP's work, but we have an 10· ·interest not only in four-year olds and quality preschool, 11· ·we're also interested in child care and the infant and 12· ·toddler population.· So looking at child care, looking at 13· ·preschool, looking at the continuum of services and 14· ·supports with an eye towards services providers, provided 15· ·population served, gaps that may exist to then help inform 16· ·our role, our contribution, not just in terms of services, 17· ·but in terms of workforce, in terms of quality 18· ·improvement, in terms of policy and advocacy, because at 19· ·end of the day, the aspirations of this board and the 20· ·board of LAUP in terms of extending the reach of quality 21· ·preschool, not just to the children served by LAUP today, 22· ·but to the tens of thousands of children who today are not 23· ·being served.· That solution rests not with First 5 LA, 24· ·that solution rests with policy and advocacy change at the 25· ·county, at the state, and the federal level.· It's one of www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·the reasons why this board has been so clear about the ·2· ·importance of policy and advocacy, and has invested the ·3· ·funds that it has to date and additional resources going ·4· ·forward.· So it is looking at that full continuum ·5· ·supervisor. ·6· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· So this is not an ·7· ·LAUP-issue specifically. ·8· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· It's a broader issue.· It's really ·9· ·the -10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· So I think we ought 11· ·to break it out accordingly. 12· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· That's why I said that we had three 13· ·separate decision points that we were bringing to the 14· ·board today. 15· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Yeah, but the item 16· ·before us is specifically related to LAUP.· And I want to 17· ·make sure that all of us are tracking the issue that LAUP 18· ·is not the only point of interest or initiatives related 19· ·to early childhood education, universal preschool.· I 20· ·think all of that has to be on the table pursuant to this 21· ·environmental plan in the interests of coherence. 22· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Absolutely, supervisor.· And the 23· ·board memo under Item 10, there are three specific 24· ·recommendations which Aleece will touch on very quickly. 25· ·One relates to the budget; secondly relates to this idea www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·of a sustainability plan or a forecast which the board ·2· ·just took action on; and third is to direct staff to plan ·3· ·and execute an environmental scan of LA county early care ·4· ·and education landscape. ·5· · · · · ·So it is absolutely not specific to LAUP, but ·6· ·rather is looking at broad LA county early care and ·7· ·education environment. ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Can we have a ·9· ·clarification? 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Please, because I 11· ·want to move -12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Does that include 13· ·home-based care? 14· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Home visitation 15· ·anybody? 16· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· No, home-based care. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Home-based care. 18· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· In terms of -19· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· The scan. 20· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Yeah.· I think we're going to need 21· ·to look at the whole picture.· I mean, with board -22· ·general direction and support from the board, we're going 23· ·to need to sit down with a lot of folks and really kind of 24· ·scope this out but the intent is to bring a comprehensive 25· ·view of the continuum of services and supports that young www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·children zero to five have access to or don't in LA ·2· ·county. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Members of ·4· ·commission, that simply makes good sense to me that we do ·5· ·that so that we know what we have and we know what we're ·6· ·doing.· And some of those things may need to be updated, ·7· ·they may need to be reintegrated.· There could be a number ·8· ·of things that could happen with this particular aspect or ·9· ·component of the agency's portfolio.· It seems to me that 10· ·a presentation on that is not warranted.· This is common 11· ·sense as it relates to what we need to understand about 12· ·who we are and what we are doing. 13· · · · · ·And the Chair will entertain a motion pursuant to 14· ·the executive director's recommendation to proceed with 15· ·the environmental scan for early childhood education and 16· ·universal preschool for First 5 LA.· Is there such a 17· ·motion? 18· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· So moved. 19· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· It's been moved by 20· ·Commissioner Browning, seconded by Commissioner Southard. 21· · · · · ·Is there any further discussion or clarification 22· ·on that issue? 23· · · · · ·Let me would be clear, this is not a LAUP 24· ·engagement; this is a First 5 engagement.· All right. 25· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· What I would suggest then, www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·Mr. Chair, is to ask Aleece to focus specifically -·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Let me just close ·3· ·this. ·4· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· I apologize. ·5· · · · · ·THE COURT:· There needs to be an action on this ·6· ·because we want to formalize it.· Okay? ·7· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· You're right. ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Are there any other ·9· ·questions or comments or points of clarification on this? 10· · · · · ·Seeing none, please record a unanimous vote. 11· · · · · ·Now, we have one item before us.· You'll have to 12· ·forgive the unconventional or improvisational pursuit of 13· ·the Chair, but there is method in my madness. 14· · · · · ·So, Aleece, do your best and do it in short 15· ·order.· I think the board has more clarity than might have 16· ·assumed; therefore, we can move accordingly.· Proceed, 17· ·please. 18· · · · · ·MS. KELLY:· Thank you.· Good afternoon, 19· ·Commissioners.· As directed at the June commission meeting 20· ·we're returning with an action item for the LAUP contract 21· ·for FY13-14.· So I will just do a quick overview of the 22· ·today's presentation.· We'll really focus on the proposed 23· ·FY13-14 budget.· A couple of recommendations have, of 24· ·course, already been voted on. 25· · · · · ·You will also be taking action on the FY13-14 www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·performance matrix for LAUP today.· You may -- this has ·2· ·been reviewed in past commission meetings.· So, of course, ·3· ·today, we're focusing on the budget.· You may review the ·4· ·proposed matrix as Attachment A in the packet, and I would ·5· ·be happy to address questions on it after the ·6· ·presentation. ·7· · · · · ·This slide outlines the budget proposed by LAUP ·8· ·for FY13-14 and the sources funds.· This year's proposed ·9· ·budget is approximately $4.9 million more than last 10· ·year's.· The 4.9 million represents increases in provider 11· ·payments due to shifts from subsidized to unsubsidized 12· ·classrooms and increases in providers' ratings, as 13· ·Well as investments in IT and communications to support 14· ·sustainability. 15· · · · · ·This slide presents a budget forecast through 16· ·2016 as proposed by LAUP assuming adoption of the $64.6 17· ·million budget.· As proposed, approximately 12.5 million 18· ·would remain at the close of FY15-16, the scheduled close 19· ·of the current master agreement. 20· · · · · ·Staff are providing today the commission with 21· ·three options for the budget here.· The options represent 22· ·either stable funding or increased funding in comparison 23· ·to FY12-13.· The first option is to approve the proposed 24· ·FY13-14 LAUP budget of 64.67 million including the $49.9 25· ·million augmentation request.· If the Commission selects www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·this option, staff would like further direction on one key ·2· ·consideration, and that is the use of performance ·3· ·incentive fund.· LAUP currently has an $8.3 million earned ·4· ·carryover from previous years.· The $4.9 million ·5· ·augmentation request could be funded either from the ·6· ·performance incentive fund or from the sustainability ·7· ·fund.· And I would just note the use of either fund ·8· ·results in the same withdrawal from the overall ·9· ·allocation. 10· · · · · ·Option two is to maintain the FY12-13 budget. I'm 11· ·sorry.· Have the FY13-14 budget be maintained at the 12· ·FY12-13 level, which is $59.8 million.· If the Commission 13· ·selects this option, LAUP would likely need to reduce 14· ·services and, therefore, staff would need direction from 15· ·the Commission regarding budget prioritization.· It would 16· ·likely require modification of the current requirement for 17· ·a minimum service level of up to 10,760 children.· Unless 18· ·otherwise directed to prioritize sustainability 19· ·activities, policy and advocacy, and/or development of 20· ·alternate business models, LAUP would have flexibility to 21· ·structure the budget within the $59.8 million amount. 22· · · · · ·As discussed at prior commission meetings, there 23· ·-- as well as today, there are significant operational and 24· ·communication challenges with reducing seats -- spaces 25· ·either through mandated reduction or by allowing attrition www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·within the budget year.· These include commitments already ·2· ·made to parents, commitments made to providers and even ·3· ·legal commitments made to school-based classrooms as well ·4· ·as geographic equity in regard to services. ·5· · · · · ·Option three is to approve the FY13-14 budget in ·6· ·an amount to not to exceed $63 million. ·7· · · · · ·With key considerations on budget priority, staff ·8· ·are requesting commissioner input on the key ·9· ·considerations regarding budget priorities.· The staff 10· ·recommendation for the fiscal year 13-14 budget is option 11· ·three.· The $63 million is over three million more than 12· ·last years's LAUP budget and recognizes that there may be 13· ·opportunities to tighten within the proposed budget to 14· ·increase operational efficiencies to generate non-First 5 15· ·LA revenue and potentially to renegotiate cost with LAUSD 16· ·given recent changes in the state budget. 17· · · · · ·Staff recommend this budget and recommend giving 18· ·LAUP flexibility in budgeting, but also prioritizing 19· ·sustainability activities, specifically policy and 20· ·advocacy and the development of alternative business 21· ·models. 22· · · · · ·The next recommendation is related to the glide 23· ·path plan, which you've already taken action on, as well 24· ·as the environmental scan.· So I would just highlight that 25· ·the action being requested at this time is for the level www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·of budget year support and any budget year prioritization ·2· ·that the commission wishes to direct. ·3· · · · · ·So for next steps, with the decision at today's ·4· ·meeting, staff will work with LAUP to execute a contract ·5· ·amendment effective August 1st with the revised budget and ·6· ·performance matrix.· Some key activities as part of the ·7· ·executed contact will include staff from First 5 LA and ·8· ·LAUP continuing to work collaboratively on aligning our ·9· ·policy and advocacy work toward affordable quality 10· ·preschool, developing the glide path plan as you've 11· ·discussed for future consideration and development of 12· ·alternative business models. 13· · · · · ·With that, I'd be happy to take any questions. 14· ·Thank you. 15· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much 16· ·for your presentation.· I want to acknowledge the work of 17· ·the staff and the effort that has been put into bringing 18· ·this item forward.· We do realize that there is a 19· ·considerable amount of work that goes into trying to get 20· ·things clear and, furthermore, to get them right. 21· · · · · ·Members of the commission, you've heard the 22· ·presentation of the staff.· We've already disposed of 23· ·two-thirds of the items to be considered, and let me 24· ·rearticulate them as I understand them:· The first of 25· ·which is to build in an accountability component that www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·speaks to clarification of the status quo with respect to ·2· ·the overall allocation of LAUP funding to terminate at the ·3· ·close of the fiscal year in 2016, referred to in part of ·4· ·as a glide path.· A collaborative effort between LAUP and ·5· ·First 5 LA should, in my view, have implications for ·6· ·sustainability, as often referred to self determination ·7· ·because, as is indicated, these resources are -- are set ·8· ·to terminate at this point in time.· So what does the ·9· ·future look like and we will hear back at least 10· ·preliminarily within some 60 days on that matter. 11· · · · · ·It seems to me that the second item that we 12· ·landed on is the environmental scan for the entire agency 13· ·on early childhood education and universal preschool. 14· ·That's being pursued solely of the First 5 LA staff with 15· ·input, should it be deemed appropriate, among the various 16· ·stakeholders that are a part of it.· There are ten or so. 17· ·I would recommend bringing them, talking about it, and do 18· ·what needs to be done.· And it would seem to me that we 19· ·need to anchor that in terms of a timeline.· I didn't 20· ·specify that before. 21· · · · · ·What's reasonable, madam executive director, to 22· ·have that completed? 23· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Consistent with the two words I 24· ·began with of pace and recalibration, I'd like to give 25· ·that some careful consideration and come back to the www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·board. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right. ·3· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Prayerful.· That's how serious I am ·4· ·about it.· So appreciate -- we want it to be information ·5· ·that can be useful to this and future commissions.· We ·6· ·want to do it right, want to do it well, and we'd like to ·7· ·come back with an informed assessment. ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· So I'm ·9· ·going to request that at least a preliminary look at that 10· ·-- and it doesn't have to be a completed work, but no less 11· ·than 60 days in terms of plan of -- the work plan may look 12· ·like if it needs to be exhaustive.· And it probably is a 13· ·useful idea to have periodic updates until it is done. 14· ·It's not necessary to have it fully perfected before the 15· ·board gets to see it or gets some input.· We can talk 16· ·about that for the 60 days would be the first teeing up of 17· ·it for our consideration. 18· · · · · ·Now what's before us is the budget itself.· The 19· ·Chair would wish to move option one, essentially, in light 20· ·of what we've already done in terms of accountability with 21· ·glide paths and looking at environmental survey, though 22· ·the existing agencies tried to get this done in a way that 23· ·respects the accountability quotient that we are 24· ·articulating and cause First 5 LA to understand that LAUP 25· ·realizes what it needs to do and the way it needs to be www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·done.· ·That consideration is before us for your ·2· ·consideration and disposition. ·3· · · · · ·Commissioner, is there a second to this motion? ·4· ·has been seconded by Commissioner Fielding and a question ·5· ·by Commissioner Figueroa-Villa. ·6· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA-VILLA:· I could support ·7· ·option one if it's really clear to us that it's within the ·8· ·budget that ends 2016. ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· Let it 10· ·be clear. 11· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA-VILLA:· We keep using 12· ·additional or take away, and the public seems to think 13· ·that we're cutting their funding when it really is within 14· ·their allocated amount -15· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Right. 16· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA-VILLA:· -- ending 2016. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· So a useful 18· ·clarification.· I want everybody to understand that this 19· ·is within the existing allocation of LAUP resources. 20· ·There is not an increase in those resources in terms of 21· ·the overall amount of money.· It is essentially a little 22· ·more being requested at this point in time for the 23· ·upcoming fiscal year. 24· · · · · ·Commissioners clear on that point? 25· · · · · ·All right.· Properly moved and seconded.· There www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·was one question.· Any further discussion on the item, ·2· ·we're prepared to entertain it.· Points of clarification ·3· ·as well. ·4· · · · · ·Commissioner Kaufman, please. ·5· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· I've been, I think, ·6· ·struggling as everyone has come to any of these meetings ·7· ·has noticed with how to did this.· Clearly, I don't think ·8· ·anyone on the commission would disagree that LAUP has done ·9· ·a wonderful job educating children and that more children 10· ·being -- receiving high-quality preschool is everyone's 11· ·goal and we want it not the only for this year but we want 12· ·it for five years, ten years, and 50 years from now; and 13· ·that we created LAUP so that it could demonstrate to 14· ·whatever was necessary how to go from 10,000 to 75,000 15· ·because that's about I think the number we always talked 16· ·about.· Maybe it's down to 68,000 or whatever of kids who 17· ·don't have access to quality preschool because of 18· ·circumstances.· That's a lot of times -- that's seven, 19· ·eight times the number that we're talking about.· That's 20· ·500 million a year, 400 million a year.· It's not 60, 63, 21· ·65, 59.· It's a major change.· And we've gotten close, 22· ·unsuccessfully, with initiatives and others, and we 23· ·struggled. 24· · · · · ·First, LAUP has done a remarkable job at 25· ·stewarding the First 5 LA resources.· If you think of it, www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·we've extended what was 500 million over five years, I ·2· ·think, into 580 million over ten or 12, whatever number it ·3· ·would be.· I know we ramped up.· And, Celia, the graph you ·4· ·showed really shows the way it got up there and now in the ·5· ·last five years we're 10,000-plus kids each year.· And ·6· ·each year you've spent less than you could have as far as ·7· ·I remember.· That meant you saved money, you did things ·8· ·that we carried over to the next year.· So I really ·9· ·respect that and understand that. 10· · · · · ·However, we've got a problem, and that is we 11· ·can't find out how to get $60 million a year or $70 12· ·million a year come three years from now.· And we 13· ·certainly don't now how to get five or 600 million, which 14· ·is what's necessary for universal preschool for all kids. 15· ·So whether we approve 64.7, 64.67, or 63, or 60 is not, to 16· ·me, the fundamental question.· The fundamental question is 17· ·there's $204 million left in the LAUP budget out of 580. 18· ·If we spend it according to the plan that's here of 64, 19· ·63, and 63, there will 12 million left as I read it for 20· ·the following year.· Twelve million is not 60 million. 21· ·How are we going to survive? 22· · · · · ·One way, clearly, is for LAUP to figure out how 23· ·to lower its cost.· I don't know how to do that.· It's 24· ·totally in your shop.· You've done it before.· And I trust 25· ·and expect and will monitor the trust and expect that www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·you'll do it again, and that you'll come in under budget ·2· ·of 64, you'll spend less than that because you'll realize ·3· ·your future family's budget is based on how much you don't ·4· ·spend this year.· Just because you have it doesn't mean ·5· ·you spend it. ·6· · · · · ·But you also need to raise money.· You also need ·7· ·to find out how to get grants that are not 50, 100, ·8· ·200,000, but a million, two million, five million for ·9· ·evaluation, for IT, for other things, for public policy 10· ·change.· We need to see that.· And that's what I need to 11· ·see two or three months from now to recognize that it is 12· ·going to happen because nothing would be worse than three 13· ·years from now, you've got 12 million -- 12.5 million to 14· ·cover a $60 million budget.· That's unacceptable and 15· ·that's cruel.· You think it would be cruel today to cut a 16· ·few million.· Image 30 or 40 or 50 million in four years. 17· · · · · ·So I reluctantly agree to whatever amount my 18· ·fellow commissioners support.· I'm certainly not going to 19· ·be the lone voice or vote against funding, but I really 20· ·want to see a very specific and detailed expectation and 21· ·plan of how you're going to spend less than your total 22· ·amount that it could be, how you're going to generate 23· ·additional revenue, how we're going to change public will 24· ·and public policy, working together because, otherwise, I 25· ·fear we'll be in worse shape a few years from now as even www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·more kids need it. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· Thank ·3· ·you, Commissioner Kaufman. ·4· · · · · ·Any additional questions or comments? ·5· ·Commissioner Fielding, please. ·6· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· I think LAUP has done a ·7· ·wonderful job, and we all would love to see LAUP for every ·8· ·kid.· There's just no question about it.· I do think that, ·9· ·at some level, it needs to be -- you know, parents need to 10· ·contribute and over -- on a sliding scale.· But I think 11· ·it's a wonderful model and I think the stars, you know, 12· ·give you something to aspire to for everybody in the 13· ·field. 14· · · · · ·I think there a couple of things that are 15· ·hopeful:· One is that the economic climate is much better 16· ·now than it's been over the past year, that the State has 17· ·a surplus and we have an executive director and board that 18· ·is really attuned to the needs to work really closely and 19· ·are increasing our allocation for working to inform the 20· ·elected leaders at all levels of the importance and 21· ·essentiality of this service.· So that really, I think, 22· ·gives us reason to be optimistic. 23· · · · · ·But on the other hand, we can also be wrong and, 24· ·despite our efforts, may not work, and that -- that would 25· ·be I think a very, very sad day.· But on the other hand, www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·you know, if we -- if we looked at it as this has to come ·2· ·above all, we then say, well, we're not going to worry ·3· ·about nutrition in kids other than through preschool, ·4· ·we're not going to do Welcome Baby, we're not going to -·5· ·you know, we're not going to do all the other -- we're not ·6· ·going to do Best Start in those communities.· All those ·7· ·because there's just not enough money to do all of them. ·8· ·So this is critical. ·9· · · · · ·I'm glad we're increasing our allocation on the 10· ·side of advocacy because I think that's where it is now. 11· ·And my hope is that we can be successful. 12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· All right.· I think 13· ·good stewardship and prudence means that we have to be 14· ·candid about fiscal realities, but it doesn't mean that we 15· ·have to be without hope and/or will to redefine 16· ·circumstances, thus the emotion that was unanimously 17· ·adopted from Commissioner Dennis. 18· · · · · ·Let's just say that the President is successful. 19· ·That potentially is a game changer, not just for First 5, 20· ·but for ECE beyond the confines of First 5.· So should we 21· ·simply rely on that?· Absolutely not.· Thus, the 22· ·accountability discussion that we have engaged in. 23· · · · · ·Now, at some point, there will need to be an 24· ·adult conversation about who owns the future in terms of 25· ·early childhood education, and it might have to be nose to www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·nose.· The message today is, First 5 LA is inviting and ·2· ·calling upon LAUP to essentially step up on the question ·3· ·of how you see life beyond June 30, 2016.· Just straight ·4· ·talk, ladies and gentlemen.· Board chair is here.· Members ·5· ·of board are here.· The record will reflect this ·6· ·conversation with clarity and hopefully integrity so that ·7· ·all of us are essentially on the same page.· And ·8· ·everyone's comments and input has to be recognized ·9· ·accordingly. 10· · · · · ·Any further comment on the matter before us? 11· · · · · ·I'm going to ask that the secretary call the role 12· ·on the Chair's motion to adopt option one as it relates to 13· ·Item Number 10. 14· · · · · ·SECRETARY:· Philip Browning. 15· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· Aye. 16· · · · · ·SECRETARY:· Jonathan Fielding. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Aye. 18· · · · · ·SECRETARY:· Sandra Figueroa-Villa. 19· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA-VILLA:· Aye. 20· · · · · ·SECRETARY:· Neil Kaufman. 21· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Aye. 22· · · · · ·SECRETARY:· Marvin Southard. 23· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER SOUTHARD:· Aye. 24· · · · · ·SECRETARY:· Dwayne Dennis. 25· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER DENNIS:· Aye. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·SECRETARY:· Mark Ridley-Thomas. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Aye. ·3· · · · · ·SECRETARY:· Motion passes. ·4· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Thank you very much ·5· ·to the staff and to all the participants.· Please hold on ·6· ·for a moment.· We're still in session.· You can go outside ·7· ·and make all that noise.· In here, this is a sanctuary in ·8· ·here.· Everybody is -·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Is it all right if we do 10· ·our exercises right now? 11· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· That's why I give prayerful 12· ·consideration to -13· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· There you go. 14· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· If I may, Mr. Chair, I would like to 15· ·acknowledge Aleece Kelly who has been with First 5 since 16· ·2008.· And I am really happy that Commissioner Art Delgado 17· ·is not here because Aleece has been stolen by Lao and she 18· ·will be joining Lako -- she'll be leaving First 5 in about 19· ·a week and a half.· But just really want to acknowledge 20· ·her tremendous leadership and contributions to First 5 LA 21· ·in a number of capacities, and most recently working with 22· ·LAUP.· So thank you so much, Aleece. 23· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· Ladies and 24· ·gentlemen, we do wish to respect your time; therefore, 25· ·Items Number 7 and 8 are going to be continued to our next www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·regularly scheduled meeting and the balance of the agenda ·2· ·will be taken up at this point in time and the -- we're ·3· ·going to turn the chair over to Commissioner Kaufman. ·4· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· So Barb. ·5· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER RIDLEY-THOMAS:· May I ask that you ·6· ·exit very quietly because there's still work to be done? ·7· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Thank you, Commissioners, and what ·8· ·the Chair and I discussed was spending our remaining half ·9· ·an hour on items 11, 12 and 13.· And it's really item 11 10· ·that is one of those time sensitive and really fundamental 11· ·issues that speaks to implementation of a key aspect of 12· ·our current strategic plan, Welcome Baby and Home 13· ·Visitation.· This has been the subject of quite a lot of 14· ·discussion and P and P, and we want to tee up an action 15· ·item in September.· So Barbara finally, yes.· Well, 16· ·Barbara has spoken a lot -17· · · · · ·MS. DuBRANSKY:· I feel like I won the lottery. 18· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· I was kidding her saying, well, 19· ·we'll just have to have an August board meeting.· I'm 20· ·kidding, kidding, really kidding. 21· · · · · ·MS. DuBRANSKY:· I plan to be somewhere tropical 22· ·by then. 23· · · · · ·So really quickly, the objective today is this is 24· ·an informational item, and the intent of the discussion is 25· ·to build upon the previous discussions that you've all had www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·around both sustainability as well as the evaluation ·2· ·components of Best Start and, of course, most of all the ·3· ·scale.· We're going to close with considerations that we ·4· ·are taking into account and making sure that you all feel ·5· ·these are the considerations that we should be looking at ·6· ·in deciding the scale of the investment. ·7· · · · · ·Just as a reminder, we always like to share the ·8· ·definition of what we're talking about when we talk about ·9· ·family strengthening, which includes both universal and 10· ·targeted home visitation programs, and the policy 11· ·decisions that you have made along the way that have 12· ·gotten us here to this point in terms of implementation. 13· · · · · ·Staff has projected program costs for the family 14· ·strengthening investments if we were to see increased 15· ·hospital participation at a relatively steady pace. 16· ·Finance staff has demonstrated in this visual how these 17· ·program costs would impact expected revenues.· As this 18· ·represents total program costs, staff presented to 19· ·sustainability strategies intended to stem the growth of 20· ·the cost to the commission over the past several board and 21· ·P and P meetings.· The cost seen here as well as in the 22· ·scale option slides are conservative worst-case scenario 23· ·costs.· Several factors that we will be able to quantify 24· ·in the next six to nine months will help to us refine 25· ·these costs.· Most of the factors will bring the cost down www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·things like late enrollment, attrition, average number of ·2· ·high-risk families, and non-Best Start population and ·3· ·declining birth rates and various training and material ·4· ·efficiency that are being implemented at in time. ·5· · · · · ·Factors driving the cost up will include annual ·6· ·cost of living adjustments as well as baseline regional ·7· ·cost of living refinement effective the per child select ·8· ·home visitation projections. ·9· · · · · ·Jumping to our implementation status.· This 10· ·reminds you of -- you've seen this a few times of the nine 11· ·new hospitals participating in Welcome Baby, along with 12· ·the data you see in the second bullet also relates to the 13· ·pilot.· So the ten together are achieving this penetration 14· ·in Best Start and non-Best Start births.· And then to 15· ·remind you where the hospitals that are working with us 16· ·are located across the county.· Looking at this as a way 17· ·we look at our Best Start communities on a regional level 18· ·because they plan together at regional level.· Obviously, 19· ·they are impacted at a regional level. 20· · · · · ·This just show you where the distribution of 21· ·those hospitals that are currently participating.· And you 22· ·can see the red cross in the center of the county there is 23· ·our pilot, and the remaining blue crosses are the new 24· ·hospitals that are actually in training and ramp up at 25· ·this time. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·So as we get into the option targets, the ·2· ·options, the real discussion that we want to have is ·3· ·around how many hospitals will be eligible to participate ·4· ·in Welcome Baby.· And the information that's being ·5· ·provided to you on each of the scale slides that come up ·6· ·are indicated here.· So one is target penetration.· What ·7· ·this tells you is the number of births at the hospitals ·8· ·that would be participating in that option are delivering, ·9· ·which doesn't necessarily mean the number served because 10· ·we don't expect everyone to say yes to the program. 11· ·So the second bullet tells you about how many families 12· ·would be served with a take-up rate of 80 percent, which 13· ·is comparable to similar programs, and the estimated peak 14· ·annual cost that that would represent. 15· · · · · ·So as we look at these options, there's several 16· ·considerations:· One is the financial impact; how much the 17· ·commission's revenue will this cost as we ramp up and 18· ·particularly at the peak level.· And then equity.· When we 19· ·chose the 25 hospitals, they were selected to achieve a 20· ·semblance of equity across the Best Start communities, an 21· ·average of 80 percent penetration in the Best Start 22· ·communities.· And this was reflective of the fact that we 23· ·know from research that, if you want to have a 24· ·community-level impact, you need to reach the at least 70 25· ·percent of the population.· And because of these www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·investments were looking to insure that children were ·2· ·ready for school and that children were safe from abuse ·3· ·and neglect, particularly as well as its impact on some of ·4· ·the other outcomes in Welcome Baby program that we wanted ·5· ·to get to that level in each of these communities. ·6· · · · · ·So those are the two considerations that ·7· ·fluctuate a bit more within each of these options.· But we ·8· ·also remind -- want to be reminding everyone that we are ·9· ·also looking at whether or not we have a sufficient number 10· ·for -- a sufficient number of participants for evaluation, 11· ·which we do across all the options.· We basically hit that 12· ·with our ten and actually earlier than that. 13· · · · · ·Then the fourth one is how this effects our 14· ·chances of being able to procure other dollars through our 15· ·policy and advocacy work.· Obviously, the simple way to 16· ·say it is, more hospitals, we got to find more money.· So 17· ·each one -- each option that adds hospitals becomes 18· ·progressively more challenging in that area. 19· · · · · ·Okay.· So let's start with the 25 hospital 20· ·option.· This is the option that the board approved last 21· ·June.· And as I just mentioned, the rationale as to how we 22· ·chose to those 25.· The reminder here is that it creates a 23· ·penetration into the county of 54 percent and 80 percent 24· ·into the Best Start communities.· One of the key 25· ·indicators here to look at is the 60 million annual number www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·there and what that penetration rate is into the budget, ·2· ·84 percent. ·3· · · · · ·This shows you where all 25 hospitals are.· You ·4· ·see the distribution as would be expected very close to ·5· ·our Best Start communities. ·6· · · · · ·So our second option, this represents current ·7· ·status plus four letter of intent respondents that came in ·8· ·-- responses that came in May.· Just as a reminder, the ·9· ·letter of intent was the way that we offered a strategic 10· ·partnership to the 24 hospitals that we added to the pilot 11· ·hospital last year as eligible.· This represents 59 12· ·percent of the commission revenue at peak.· There are two 13· ·of the hospitals within this option that really address 14· ·equity issues in two of our communities, and that is 15· ·Valley Presbyterian and Sentinella.· And those -- there 16· ·are two hospitals that will be at at this point in time 17· ·below 40 percent penetration.· And that would -- as you 18· ·can see here, there's a 59 percent average in the 19· ·communities at this point, but we would have two hospitals 20· ·following a bit below that -- or two communities falling a 21· ·bit below, and that would be Metro and (inaudible). 22· · · · · ·This option also includes Kaiser, Baldwin Park. 23· ·In fact, that has been mentioned before is Kaiser is 24· ·obviously a target in our policy and advocacy work. 25· ·So we wanted to make sure that the commission is aware www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·this hospital is included and represents an opportunity to ·2· ·have that program be present in that system. ·3· · · · · ·And here's another map just again so you can see ·4· ·what the distribution is. ·5· · · · · ·The simple way to explain option three is, it's ·6· ·exactly the same as option two.· We just removed one of ·7· ·the four hospitals that applied.· And that is because that ·8· ·one hospital didn't -- we couldn't say that it really ·9· ·impacted equity across the communities.· So in finding 10· ·that in our analysis, we created an option that removed 11· ·one hospital from the list of respondents. 12· · · · · ·And, finally, the last option is our current 13· ·status.· These are the ten hospitals that are contracted 14· ·with us at this time.· As you see, they're reaching 20 15· ·percent of the births countywide and there is an average 16· ·penetration rate of 50 percent.· There's a little bit more 17· ·of a fluctuation in terms of equity across the 18· ·communities.· Forty-eight percent of the commission -- it 19· ·represent 48 percent of the commission revenue in fiscal 20· ·year 20. 21· · · · · ·So in this case, returning to equity really 22· ·quickly, there are five communities that would fall below 23· ·40 percent and two that would fall below 30 percent.· And 24· ·this map gives you an indication of where they are. 25· · · · · ·Finally, there is an additional element that we www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·would want to consider in a recommendation and this could ·2· ·be considered an addition to any of the options that have ·3· ·been before you, and that is the inclusion of Martin ·4· ·Luther King Community Hospital.· It's expected to open ·5· ·late 2014.· The labor and delivery unit is expected to be ·6· ·relatively small and will likely represent a shift in ·7· ·market share from the nearby hospitals; therefore, the ·8· ·cost of including MLK Community, though it can't be ·9· ·specified at this time, is expected to be minimal. 10· · · · · ·And, finally, we just want to come back around to 11· ·the key questions here.· So are the criteria suggested to 12· ·frame and inform the consideration of this scale the right 13· ·ones.· ·Again, mentioning cost, equity, policy and 14· ·advocacy, and evaluation.· Are there ones that we're 15· ·missing that we should be considering.· Should they be 16· ·considered equally. 17· · · · · ·Questions 2 through 5 here, you've discussed 18· ·quite a bit in other meetings, and we feel like we've 19· ·gotten a lot of really substantive feedback in this area. 20· ·Obviously, we've talked even today about the policy and 21· ·advocacy direction that we're taking and that the board is 22· ·clearly supporting.· And we have also gotten a lot of 23· ·positive feedback around having a robust evaluation in 24· ·this area.· So we're really looking at getting feedback 25· ·on, are these the right criteria and wanting to use that www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·information to prepare to come back to you in September ·2· ·for a recommendation. ·3· · · · · ·And if you want to refer back to the criteria, ·4· ·you can go to slide 9.· If you want to be able to just ·5· ·read them for yourselves again.· And this is the reason ·6· ·why I'm really here, just so I can show a picture of my ·7· ·exceptionally beautiful child. ·8· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Barb, why don't -- so we -- just as ·9· ·we enjoyed seeing Wyatt, Aleece's son, at the end of LAUP 10· ·presentation, we're delighted to see your son, Barbara. 11· ·Much as we think your son is adorable, can we see the 12· ·criteria again? 13· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· I thought you wanted the 14· ·criteria for what made him adorable. 15· · · · · ·MS. DuBRANSKY:· I knew I should have put his 16· ·picture on that page. 17· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Too much words. 18· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· So to clarify, today's not 19· ·an action item; it is a discussion to give comment or 20· ·information, advice, or suggestions to come back in 21· ·September for the final? 22· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· That's right.· And as Barbara said, 23· ·we're principally interested in getting feedback on the 24· ·criteria; how we think about evaluating the different 25· ·scale options; are these the right ones; are there others www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·we're missing; how do we think about waiting. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Before we get into ·3· ·discussion, if I could just bring up Kathy Shriner who ·4· ·wants to do public comment, which is -- I think she's the ·5· ·only one on this item.· Let's hear from her first, and ·6· ·then we'll discuss.· Thank you very much. ·7· · · · · ·MS. SHRINER:· Thank you.· I'm a member of the ·8· ·guidance body from Panorama City and neighbors, and we're ·9· ·one of the communities that would be greatly disadvantaged 10· ·if the commission were to adopt option 4 and just stick 11· ·with the ten hospitals.· So in our situation, the two 12· ·hospitals that are currently in the program, Providence 13· ·Holy Cross and Northridge, only serve 23 percent of the 14· ·births in our community; whereas, Valley Presbyterian that 15· ·would be added under options 2 or 3 serves 41 percent of 16· ·the births.· So if Valley Presbyterian is included, then 17· ·we would get to 64 percent.· But otherwise, we would only 18· ·have 23 percent and we're already a communities that's 19· ·underserved in terms of preschool and early childhood.· So 20· ·to have this kind of program really helping the parents to 21· ·become their child's best first teacher.· And we're also a 22· ·community that has issues of child abuse and neglect, and 23· ·this program is very core to trying to prevent child abuse 24· ·and neglect.· So we really ask that you take a look at the 25· ·individual communities and how we're affected by these www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·various options. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Thank you very much.· That ·3· ·will be the subject of the September meeting, to see ·4· ·whether they're included, correct?· Thank you. ·5· · · · · ·Dr. Fielding. ·6· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· In addition to the ·7· ·criteria, I have some other kinds of questions. ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Up a little closer to the ·9· ·mike. 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· I'm sorry.· I'll swallow 11· ·it. 12· · · · · ·How close are we to having evaluation data that 13· ·would help us understand the overall impact of this on 14· ·child safety, health, development, and the like because it 15· ·seems to me we can't really talk about this -- these 16· ·criteria in isolation. 17· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· So one of the first things that I 18· ·always like to do is separate the pieces because we call 19· ·this the family strengthening and investment, but we 20· ·actually have two types of home visitation here.· In terms 21· ·of the intensive home visitation, we will obviously be 22· ·doing an evaluation to insure that we are implementing the 23· ·program to fidelity which would allow us to expect the 24· ·outcomes that have been well documented for those 25· ·programs.· So that's one aspect, and I think in some www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·senses we can essentially prove that now as long as we are ·2· ·doing the program at the same quality level. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Exactly. ·4· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· Welcome Baby, as you've heard, ·5· ·already had quite a few promising results coming out of ·6· ·its evaluation, its last publication if the evaluation ·7· ·being two months ago.· There are -- as Haley, who's not ·8· ·with us today, can speak to a little bit better, there are ·9· ·some results that we are seeking where we are just at the 10· ·tipping point of having a significant difference between 11· ·the population we serve and the comparison group which 12· ·some improvements to the design that we've been able to 13· ·document and actually begin to implement with our current 14· ·evaluator will help us with getting better understanding 15· ·of what our impact is in those areas, some of them health 16· ·related.· As you all may recall as well, there are some 17· ·areas where the county is doing so well that it's really 18· ·hard to make that comparison, like insurance making -19· ·we're doing pretty well as a county.· So Welcome Baby 20· ·doesn't have quite as much of a room to have an impact. 21· · · · · ·But I would say that another two years would help 22· ·because we're then able to collect more data from a longer 23· ·period of time on the children that have been in the 24· ·program so far.· I don't know -25· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Yeah, I'd like to -- I www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·think it's important, as we look at this in September, to ·2· ·have next to it the data.· We have a home visitation ·3· ·that's clear, but we should say what that is.· I mean, ·4· ·because part of the issue is who else might pay for this ·5· ·under what circumstances, who's saving money by these. ·6· ·It's not only who's spending it. ·7· · · · · ·MS. DuBRANSKY:· Exactly. ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· We have to really be able ·9· ·to look at that carefully.· And then the other question 10· ·is, is there any marketing advantage to hospitals to in 11· ·fact have these programs?· Is that something they've 12· ·considered?· Is that a kind of thing that would make 13· ·hospitals -- some hospitals at least be willing to support 14· ·a portion of the cost of these, if not the whole cost? 15· ·And so I think there's a marketing issue here based on a 16· ·bunch of perceptions as well as outcomes that might effect 17· ·how far we could go with this and whether it could become 18· ·universal or whether we'd have to stop here or go halfway 19· ·or whatever. 20· · · · · ·MS. DuBRANSKY:· Absolutely.· The hospitals that 21· ·are currently in training are actually really eager to do 22· ·their outreach and marketing of the program.· California 23· ·has already done that extensively.· And those that 24· ·participate, that's has a big -- it's a big reason why 25· ·they decided to participate.· They felt that it would www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·attract mothers to their program.· And actually in the ·2· ·case of Metro, they've even had parents say, went to a ·3· ·doctor to make sure I could deliver at that hospital. ·4· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· That, to me, is what's ·5· ·most important.· I mean, let's be crass about it. ·6· ·Hospitals like money, I've heard.· So we if in fact effect ·7· ·them, either positively or negatively, they would have a ·8· ·strong financial incentive to have this program be able to ·9· ·use the First 5 insignia and Welcome Baby and the like. 10· ·So I think we should explore that as carefully as we can 11· ·and understand, you know, for the hospitals that currently 12· ·have it.· Let's say -- I guess another option, which I'm 13· ·not proposing, would be to say, you know what, we really 14· ·want to maximize our penetration in Best Start communities 15· ·and we're not going to continue to fund some of those and 16· ·some of the other communities and see whether the hospital 17· ·are willing to pick it up.· I'm not suggesting we do that 18· ·because they've invested a lot and they're wonderful.· But 19· ·we need to think of all the options here, not be limited 20· ·in our perspective of what we can do or what we might do 21· ·by simply these criteria. 22· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· I just want to follow up 23· ·on that to go even a little further.· Should we, for 24· ·example, as part of criteria, expect a match from a 25· ·hospital?· Should we expect them to bring the health plans www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·that are paying for their healthy babies and deliveries? ·2· ·Should we expect the accountable care organization in ·3· ·which the hospital might be part of it and it's using it ·4· ·both to recruit valuable patients in quotes because ·5· ·mothers and children are actually the driver for many ·6· ·hospitals and health plans for -- they're good customers ·7· ·to have.· There's a lot of business side to this that we ·8· ·have not taken advantage of.· I was going to say the word ·9· ·exploit, but I don't necessarily mean it that way.· It's 10· ·really a partnership, and it seems to me that the better 11· ·we have partnerships with our hospitals we'll have 12· ·partnerships with health care provider organizations with 13· ·ACOs, with health plans, with employers and others.· It 14· ·become a signature product or program that people would 15· ·pay for. That's the way to make it so that we never get to 16· ·40 or 50 percent of our total amount as we get to higher 17· ·and higher amounts. 18· · · · · ·So I think right from the beginning I think we 19· ·can put some of the business planning into the criteria 20· ·and maybe meet with the business development people from 21· ·that hospital and say, how is this good for your business, 22· ·how is this going to help you raise funds, how is this 23· ·going to help you pay for more -- make more profit or more 24· ·dollars for your nonprofit.· I think it is a part -- I'd 25· ·like to see that kind of interest and discussion that be www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·part of the decision making of who we decide who we ·2· ·partner with. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· I think that's absolutely ·4· ·right on, Neal.· And in addition, I would suggest you ·5· ·consider, you know, getting a consultant who knows these ·6· ·areas and the financial incentives and the plan issues and ·7· ·the hospital issues to help staff here.· And if it took an ·8· ·extra month or two before we came to be able to make a ·9· ·decision, I would feel better if we have that input.· I 10· ·don't know if we can -- if you feel we can't wait that any 11· ·longer than September. 12· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· We have some timing issues relative 13· ·to communications with hospital that have made the effort 14· ·to respond to the letter of interest that closed at end of 15· ·May.· So there's some considerations there.· So I think 16· ·you're putting your finger on the issue we talked about 17· ·earlier in the context of the policy and advocacy 18· ·conversation in terms of some technical expertise that is 19· ·not resident within First 5 LA, specifically as it relates 20· ·to this issue.· We talked principally about Title 19, but 21· ·it's also broader than that.· So that's something we can 22· ·think about how we might be able to accelerate our -23· ·because it's actually a resources question we were going 24· ·to bring to the board in September.· But we hear your 25· ·point about take the time to do it right. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER SOUTHARD:· I'd like to add a ·2· ·principle for consideration that might be aligned to ·3· ·what's being suggested, which is leveraging opportunities. ·4· ·And by that, I mean, for example, LA County Department of ·5· ·Mental Health is applying, along with a number of other ·6· ·partners, for a federal challenge grant for implementation ·7· ·of the ACA that involves using community input in five ·8· ·communities that happen to all be Best Start communities ·9· ·as we discussed.· And there may be opportunities then to 10· ·link these kind of activities with the activities that 11· ·would be supported in the grant in ways that would engage 12· ·the community substantially.· So there -- as you make 13· ·these decisions and depending on where the hospitals are, 14· ·there may be opportunities to reduce the cost because 15· ·other people are investing in the same kind of thing. 16· · · · · ·MS. DuBRANSKY:· Thank you. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Any other -- Deanne. 18· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER TILTON:· I think the Welcome Baby is 19· ·fertile ground for a whole lot things, a whole lot of 20· ·things that we haven't talked about.· Certainly in terms 21· ·of child safety, I'm extremely invested in making sure 22· ·that these programs include safe sleeping and all kinds of 23· ·safety issues as well as shaken baby prevention, et 24· ·cetera, which is being piloted at Harbor.· In addition, 25· ·I'm wondering if the hospitals are interacting with each www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·other at all, if they're sharing information, if there's a ·2· ·-- you know, a critical mass that's developing that will ·3· ·result in more than just isolated programs and how well ·4· ·that also connects to the community. ·5· · · · · ·We have a program for perinatal risk, and we had ·6· ·12 hospitals represented from the birthing centers. ·7· ·Nurses in the birthing centers attend.· And they are ·8· ·extremely excited about learning from each other and also ·9· ·about utilizing their relationship and their connections 10· ·and their ability to assure that these children leave 11· ·healthy and safely and that there is some sort of 12· ·follow-up that's meaningful and connected to the state of 13· ·the -- the state of the knowledge that's been developed. 14· · · · · ·So I really want to connect with this considering 15· ·that we now have 52 hospitals in LA that we're connected 16· ·with.· We have a contact in the birthing centers of every 17· ·one of the hospitals in LA county.· They're not all going 18· ·to be applying for this, but they have people that are in 19· ·a directory that indicates that they are going to be 20· ·keeping track of what they're doing in terms of child 21· ·safety. 22· · · · · ·MS. DuBRANSKY:· And child safety is a key 23· ·component of the program, including safe sleeping as well 24· ·as -- you know, home visit is obviously an optimal 25· ·approach to making sure that the whole environment in the www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·home is safe.· So that is covered.· Also, I will say that ·2· ·we have an oversight entity, the Los Angeles Best Babies ·3· ·Network who are conducting the training for the new ·4· ·sights.· And they have included team building activities ·5· ·between the hospitals so they can learn from each other. ·6· ·They're all new.· So there -- really a lot of them have a ·7· ·lot of questions for California hospital and would -·8· ·can't get enough of them.· And so they're learning from ·9· ·them and preparing to continue to learn for themselves 10· ·over time. 11· · · · · ·And our data system will also connect them in 12· ·that they will be expected to make referrals to each other 13· ·that we will be able to track to make sure that families 14· ·are getting the service from the appropriate agency, so 15· ·and they are -- they are ready for all of this.· So it's 16· ·been an exciting time over the last couple of months. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Any other comments? 18· · · · · ·I have one final comment, then we'll go on to the 19· ·next item that's an action item. 20· · · · · ·Just reminding us all Baby Friendly is a very 21· ·similar program that's brought value to hospitals, that's 22· ·given them a cache, it's to allowed them to market the 23· ·fact that they're breast-feeding friendly.· So put that 24· ·into the mix of the kinds of things we can use to our 25· ·advantage. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·The other part about hospitals is that all ·2· ·nonprofit hospitals have to do community benefit plans. ·3· ·They need to, according to the Affordable Care Act, they ·4· ·have to even do more than they have in the past.· So ·5· ·that's another benefit that they can accrue when they're ·6· ·able to serve more of their community. ·7· · · · · ·So look forward to September.· You got enough ·8· ·from us for today. ·9· · · · · ·Next item is Item Number 12, and Mable will be 10· ·presenting to us on approving action item to approve the 11· ·program expansion -- extension expansion of the Family 12· ·Child Care Higher Education Academy. 13· · · · · ·And you have minus one minute, but we'll go over 14· ·a few minutes.· And we do have some public comment on it, 15· ·so please. 16· · · · · ·MS. MUNOZ:· Good afternoon, Commissioners.· Staff 17· ·introduced the Family Child Care Higher Education Academy 18· ·at the June commission meeting as an information item. 19· ·And today we're here for an action.· The presentation is 20· ·similar to last month's but has been adjusted to address 21· ·commissioners' questions and comments. 22· · · · · ·Staff is seeking approval to extend and expand 23· ·the FCC Higher Education Academy through August 2016 in 24· ·the amount not to exceed $2,125,000.· In addition, staff 25· ·is seeking approval to incorporate both the program and www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·the budget allocation into the ECE workforce consortium ·2· ·contract. ·3· · · · · ·Now some brief background information.· The FCC ·4· ·Higher Education Academy was approved as a countywide ·5· ·initiative in support of the workforce development efforts ·6· ·in November of 2010 with a two-year allocation of ·7· ·1,057,000.· The program is administered by at East Los ·8· ·Angeles College by its foundation.· It supports primarily ·9· ·a unique subpopulation of FCC providers.· Monolingual 10· ·speakers who are English language learners to achieve 11· ·their professional and educational goals by helping them 12· ·navigate the higher education system.· Services include 13· ·contextualized courses in math, English, and ESL, 14· ·professional development and computer literacy workshops, 15· ·and ongoing tutoring and educational career advisement. 16· · · · · ·During the first two years, the program served 17· ·over 200 providers.· Seventy percent of the participants 18· ·are family child care owners who have been in the field 19· ·for an average of nine years, and each care for an average 20· ·of 11 children under the age of five.· More information 21· ·regarding the participants can be found in Appendix A of 22· ·the memo. 23· · · · · ·So what did we learn?· An evaluation conducted by 24· ·the Department of Child and Family Studies at Cal State LA 25· ·found that the program progressed from just helping www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·providers obtain their child development permits to ·2· ·helping them obtain AA degrees and transfer to other ·3· ·universities to get BA degrees, which really speaks to the ·4· ·readiness of the providers.· The program also changed the ·5· ·providers' perceptions from being quote/unquote baby ·6· ·sitters and being ECE professionals which increases their ·7· ·confidence and it helps to professionalize the field. ·8· · · · · ·There's one more lesson learned in the interest ·9· ·of time -- well, there's three more, but in the interest 10· ·of time, I'll speak to one.· Leveraging the knowledge 11· ·gained by the First 5 LA investment, the program was able 12· ·to advance institutional change within the college by 13· ·developing and offering other contextualized cohort 14· ·classes without the use of First 5 LA funds.· This is not 15· ·only important because it changes the pedagogy of how 16· ·faculty are teaching the providers the curriculum, but 17· ·also because it increases (?) capacity to better support 18· ·monolingual FCC students. 19· · · · · ·There are three key considerations for this 20· ·proposal.· First, it offers an opportunity to promote 21· ·sustainable institutional changes not only within Los 22· ·Angeles County's higher education system to better support 23· ·FCC students, but also strengthen the capacity of the FCC 24· ·provider community to further professionalize the field. 25· · · · · ·Second, because the program offers hands-on www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·support services, it is will positioned to transition its ·2· ·participants to other first 5 LA workforce investments ·3· ·which is in direct support of building a comprehensive ·4· ·professional pathway for providers. ·5· · · · · ·Third, it offers an opportunity to provide a ·6· ·continuum of services for FCC providers and increase their ·7· ·preparation to deliver high-quality ECE in another Best ·8· ·Start community.· This is in alignment with the 2012 Best ·9· ·Start community assessment where communities such as 10· ·Compton, Northeast Valley, and 11· ·Wilmington expressed the need for high-quality child care 12· ·as a priority.· In addition, as stated in the 2011 LA 13· ·county child care and development -- development needs 14· ·assessment, high-quality FCC can help fill the short-fall 15· ·of center-based spaces which was also noted as a high 16· ·priority for most of the Best Start communities. 17· · · · · ·The proposed allocation of $750,000 per year 18· ·allows the program to serve an additional 50 providers, 30 19· ·of which will be at another college.· Service expansion 20· ·rather than sight duplication allows the program to 21· ·capitalize in administrative functions at East Los Angeles 22· ·College without the cost and time needed to fully scale 23· ·the program at another sight. 24· · · · · ·In closing, I want to know that, while staff is 25· ·seeking approval for 2,125,000 to extend the program for www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·the next three years, the first year of this allocation ·2· ·was approved through the programmatic process back in ·3· ·June.· Therefore, we're requesting an additional 1,500,000 ·4· ·to support the last two years.· If the recommendation is ·5· ·approved, staff will work with LAUP and the Eli Foundation ·6· ·to incorporate the program and budget allocation into the ·7· ·ECE workforce consortium contract. ·8· · · · · ·Now I'm happy to answer any questions. ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· What's the cost per? 10· · · · · ·MS. MUNOZ:· Per participant? 11· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Yeah. 12· · · · · ·MS. MUNOZ:· It's about 3,000. 13· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Over what period of time 14· ·is the average participant involved?· Over what period of 15· ·time is the average participant involved in the program? 16· · · · · ·MS. MUNOZ:· Most of the participants have been 17· ·involved for the last two years.· So the -- they served 18· ·about 140 providers the first year.· And the second year 19· ·there were a little over 200, maybe 215.· And most of them 20· ·were continuing participants from the first year. 21· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· And so this number, this 22· ·is for 12 months? 23· · · · · ·MS. MUNOZ:· Yes. 24· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· So the average is then 25· ·for $5,000 per. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·MS. MUNOZ:· No, no, no.· That's every year. ·2· ·Every year is about 3,000. ·3· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Yeah, but if most of them ·4· ·are staying for two years, then the cost per participant ·5· ·is closer to $5,000. ·6· · · · · ·MS. MUNOZ:· For 24 months. ·7· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Right.· That's what I was ·8· ·wondering.· That's not cheap.· That's certainly cheaper ·9· ·than most universities. 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Any other questions or 11· ·comments?· Move for approval.· Is there a motion?· Second? 12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· No, I had a question. 13· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Hold on.· Is there a 14· ·second for the motion? 15· · · · · ·Okay.· Now we can have a question, then we'll get 16· ·public comment. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· Is there a cost to the 18· ·provider?· Do they pay anything for this? 19· · · · · ·MS. MUNOZ:· They do not.· They might pay 20· ·university fees, but the program tries to -- they have a 21· ·lending library to bring down the costs of textbooks and 22· ·some of the contextualized cohorted classes are provided 23· ·free to the participants. 24· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· Thank you. 25· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· You know, I guess I'm www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·increasingly feeling that, if people don't put any money ·2· ·up for anything, that it doesn't have the same perceived ·3· ·value.· And I think there should be sliding scales, but I ·4· ·for one am concerned about -- I'm not saying it should be ·5· ·a lot, but it needs to be something that's meaningful to ·6· ·the individual.· So I'm personally not in favor of fully ·7· ·subsidized programs.· And I have the same concern about ·8· ·LAUP, which I didn't voice today.· Even though it would be ·9· ·small and on a sliding scale, I just think that we 10· ·shouldn't be setting up models or perpetuating models 11· ·where we don't ask anything on behalf of the participants. 12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· I concur. 13· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· One approach we could bring is to 14· ·come back.· There is some time sensitivity, I believe, to 15· ·this pending action.· If the board is supportive of moving 16· ·forward along the lines that staff have outlined, the 17· ·motion perhaps could be amended, directing us to come back 18· ·with perhaps some additional information about what we 19· ·know about the income profile of participants, and that 20· ·might be helpful in informing the extent to which some 21· ·type of financial contribution might make sense.· But I -22· ·it's an important point, Jonathan, that you're raising. 23· ·it's one that, as you note in your comment about LAUP, 24· ·really is an organization-wide, granting contractor-wide 25· ·issue, and I would really hope that this would be a data www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·informed consideration by the board. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· I would hope that coming ·3· ·back one could have -- suggest what might be a possible -·4· ·a possible approach of doing that, working closely with ·5· ·the college.· I'd be very much -- I would offer that as an ·6· ·amendment. ·7· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· I think so. ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· We'll come back to the ·9· ·wording in a second. 10· · · · · ·Duane. 11· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER DENNIS:· I just like to comment on 12· ·what you said, Jonathan.· I don't disagree that perhaps 13· ·there needs to be investment on behalf of the 14· ·participants.· But one must understand that these 15· ·participants by their very nature, they're child care 16· ·providers, many of whom are making somewhere in the 17· ·neighborhood of 12, $13.00 an hour.· So I would suggest 18· ·that, if we're looking at investment, perhaps the 19· ·investment could be in-kind and maybe we could have these 20· ·providers work actually in child care centers doing 21· ·volunteer work or doing internship work as opposed to 22· ·having them having to pay out of their pocket. 23· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· I'm certainly open.· I'm 24· ·not suggesting what it should be.· I just think it has to 25· ·be something, and whether it's in-kind or whether it's www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·denominated in dollars or something else, I don't have a ·2· ·strong feeling.· I just think somebody needs to feel, you ·3· ·know, I helped pay for what I got. ·4· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER SOUTHARD:· I guess I disagree in ·5· ·this way.· The investment we're making in these providers ·6· ·is really just a down payment for the larger education ·7· ·that they will necessarily have to investment themselves ·8· ·in order to achieve.· So if they're moving from this to an ·9· ·AA to a bachelor's degree, they're already doing that.· So 10· ·that's it seems to -- so that's number one. 11· · · · · ·Number two is, sometimes we spend more money in 12· ·trying to collect money than it's worth in the money we 13· ·collect.· So I mean, having done some of these kinds of 14· ·programs, so anyway that -- I think I disagree. 15· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· I don't know that it has 16· ·to be money.· I mean, as was suggested -17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER DENNIS:· If there could be some kind 18· ·of internship -19· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Could be something. 20· ·Could be internship or volunteer. 21· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER DENNIS:· That's what I'm saying. 22· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· I wasn't saying it had to 23· ·be -- I just think it has to be something. 24· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER DENNIS:· Inherent in most programs, 25· ·there are internships.· You do have providers who actually www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·are working with children.· And I would suggest that, if ·2· ·the criteria is around participant investment, that we ·3· ·start looking at those internships that many of these ·4· ·providers are having to undertake anyway. ·5· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Deanne, Sandra, comments ·6· ·or -- so a couple things.· One is, if we could have an ·7· ·amendment that we could understand, Jonathan, in terms of ·8· ·what -- if we were to approve this.· We'd like staff to ·9· ·come back at some point in the future to give us options 10· ·regarding participation -- I don't want to use the word 11· ·fee. 12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Participation 13· ·contribution. 14· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Participation contribution 15· ·by 16· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· And with some options. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Is that okay? 18· · · · · ·And then I hear that -- other than that, the 19· ·motion seems to be pretty well accepted.· We have -20· ·pardon. 21· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA-VILLA:· Repeat the motion. 22· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Yes.· Actually, I want to 23· ·do public comment first.· So we have about ten people who 24· ·want to make public comments. 25· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· How many comments do we have?· we're www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·about to lose our quorum. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· I know that.· That's what ·3· ·I was about to tell people.· I saw the supervisor do this ·4· ·a few years ago.· If what you're going to come up and say, ·5· ·yes, we think you should support the program, we know ·6· ·that.· If you have a comment that you think would clarify ·7· ·or help us to better understand, then please come forward. ·8· ·Otherwise, the record will state that, if I read your ·9· ·name, you were going to come up and say, I support the 10· ·motion.· So Dr. Molina Zapada, Maria DeSimon,I think. 11· ·Julia Gonzalez, Julie Benvede, Hi, Marlene.· Maria 12· ·Valenta, Carmen Orta, Robert Elder, Rhoda -- no, Rhonda, 13· ·excuse me,· Reid, Truvia -14· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· If I may, Mr. Chair.· We -- Craig, 15· ·if you can -- we're about to lose Commissioner Fielding. 16· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER BROWNING:· I'm going, too. 17· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· We have six at the moment. 18· ·Commissioner Browning came back. 19· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Five votes.· We need five 20· ·people. 21· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Commission Browning came 22· ·back, so we still have five. 23· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· Something that Dr. 24· ·Fielding brought up. 25· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· As quickly as possible; www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·otherwise, we'll lose the vote. ·2· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Okay.· I was the evaluator ·3· ·for the program.· I want to clarify that the participants ·4· ·did pay tuition or their fees as well as paying for books. ·5· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· I was not aware of that. ·6· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· So that, they did do. ·7· ·What the cost really is about are all the ancillary ·8· ·services associated with supporting monolingual ·9· ·non-English speaking students.· A lot of tutoring, a lot 10· ·of translation work, a lot of intrusive advisement that 11· ·had to go on in their primary language.· Those are 12· ·supports that typically higher education institutions are 13· ·not providing. 14· · · · · ·And the other point that I want to make in 15· ·support of this program is that family child care 16· ·providers tend to service the zero to three population 17· ·more than they service preschool, and that is where 18· ·parents go for the zero to three.· And these are providers 19· ·who are providing the services in the language of the 20· ·families and in the culture of the families that often are 21· ·not available to them in other places.· So this is a 22· ·unique subgroup within the workforce that needs to be 23· ·supported. 24· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Thank you. 25· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Thank you.· I'm very www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·supportive. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· I'm going to make a ·3· ·comment here.· Unless someone wants to oppose the motion, ·4· ·we're going to give you a chance to do public comment ina ·5· ·minute.· But the rules state, if my commissioners leave, ·6· ·we can't vote and that means that it would not pass.· So I ·7· ·would like to read the motion, call the motion, and then ·8· ·receive the public comment.· And as many of us who will ·9· ·stay will. 10· · · · · ·The motion says that we approve continued funding 11· ·in the amount not to exceed 2.125 million to implement the 12· ·Family Child Care Higher Education Academy for additional 13· ·three years, September 1st, 2013, through August 31, 2016; 14· ·authorize First 5 LA staff to incorporate the FCC HEA 15· ·program and allocation into the Los Angeles Universal 16· ·Preschool ECE workshop consortium contract, and execute 17· ·the contact amendment effect December 1st, 2013.· and 18· ·Number 3, instruct staff to return with an explanation and 19· ·a series of options, if necessary, for participant 20· ·contribution to the -- to be able to participate. 21· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· Motion to approve. 22· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA-VILLA:· Second. 23· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Any discussion?· Any 24· ·discussion?· Hearing none, motion is passed unanimously. 25· ·Thank you. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· Let me just say that I ·2· ·asked a question whether there was -- you know, whether ·3· ·these were subsidized, whether there was any, and I was ·4· ·told that there was no cost on behalf of participants.· So ·5· ·that's why I made my comments.· But if they're already are ·6· ·significant contributions, I'm not suggesting more. ·7· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Staff work will be even ·8· ·easier. ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER FIELDING:· -- something in the game. 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· That's great.· So call up, 11· ·please, the people who want to make public comment, and if 12· ·we could set the clock at one minute.· And if you have 13· ·something that you'd really like us to know and 14· ·understand, please don't be bashful.· Come forward and 15· ·introduce yourselves. 16· · · · · ·MR. ELDER:· My name is Robert Elder.· I was hired 17· ·as the technology specialist serving the Cohort Number 4 18· ·for Project Vistas.· I was there to provide tutoring 19· ·services for the development presentation of electronic 20· ·portfolios.· We had the opportunity to create a template 21· ·in MS Office suite.· And after converting massive amounts 22· ·of paper and linked evidence into PDF, Word, and other 23· ·media formats, that commitment of hours over a period of 24· ·months was several of the providers taking their personal 25· ·time in addition to their duties in their businesses and www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·beyond their classes on weekends, late night sessions. ·2· ·we've been able to provide the basis for a ·3· ·product-oriented picture that provides a look at a ·4· ·combination of their reflective thinking tied to their ·5· ·lined evidence utilizing the NA (?) preparation standards ·6· ·as the organizational framework. ·7· · · · · ·As a demonstration of their tech competency with ·8· ·technology, they've made drastic improvements -·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Great to hear it. 10· · · · · ·MR. ELDER:· -- over a period of months, and we'll 11· ·be able to demonstrate in a product oriented -12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· That's great.· Thank you 13· ·so. 14· · · · · ·Next.· And please state your name. 15· · · · · ·MS. SANCHEZ:· Hi.· Good afternoon.· My same 16· ·Minerva Sanchez.· This is my mother, Bellia Sanchez.· And 17· ·we are a part of the Vistas program together.· I think 18· ·it's a great opportunity for us both to have gotten our AA 19· ·degree.· Without this program, it would have been very, 20· ·very difficult since our work hours are very extensive. 21· ·Most of the time, the children under our care do not leave 22· ·until 6:00, 6:30 in the evening.· So it gives us a chance 23· ·to attend Saturday classes, which otherwise we probably 24· ·would not have had the opportunity to take.· And most of 25· ·the time we get home at 11:00 at night.· We are more than www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·willing to do the work.· It's very hard like I said, but ·2· ·Project Vistas has given us a different outlook.· Now, we ·3· ·feel we're able to offer a higher quality education to the ·4· ·children in our communities which most are very low-income ·5· ·children.· And we're very grateful for the program. ·6· · · · · ·And like other speaker said, we do pay for some ·7· ·of the fees and we pay our student fees.· So for about two ·8· ·classes, we're talking about $420.· So there are fees we ·9· ·pay. 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Thank you very much.· we 11· ·really appreciate you comments.· Keep up the good work. 12· ·Our kids need it. 13· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· Good afternoon.· My name 14· ·is Juana.· I'm a provider, too, also a student from East 15· ·Los Angeles College where we have the Vista program.· And 16· ·this program help let several group of providers to reach 17· ·our goals of being more professionals.· Thank you for 18· ·listening to us today.· And we already start making the 19· ·difference in the life the children in our communities 20· ·because, if go to school and be prepared, how can we teach 21· ·children and prepare them for their -- their going to 22· ·kindergarten and thinking about going to college and the 23· ·university.· So I just really want to show you, you know, 24· ·less children in preschool is less opportunity in 25· ·education.· I made it myself this morning because I want www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·to --· and this is -- we made a positive impact in our ·2· ·communities.· And also, I bring some pictures, you know, ·3· ·like we do with children and also we work with parents. ·4· ·You know, ever month we have meetings and information also ·5· ·workshop with parents.· They can interact with children ·6· ·doing activities.· And one of my goals is this children ·7· ·have their own space in their houses, so I visit the ·8· ·houses and encourage the parents to put a little table for ·9· ·them to continue like an extension of school at their 10· ·houses.· So it's very important to us continue being 11· ·educated, be more professional and administrative. 12· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Thank you very much. 13· ·Appreciate the comment. 14· · · · · ·Next please. 15· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· Hello, again.· My name is 16· ·Rhonda Marie Touve.· I am from Redondo Beach, and I was 17· ·here earlier with the LAUP.· I happen to be one of the 18· ·people that was asked to be -- well given the opportunity 19· ·to be part of Project Vista.· Because of my area, I do not 20· ·get it for free.· ·I do pay for everything from the 21· ·college other than the books that they've been able to 22· ·give to us, which has been a help for me, especially 23· ·having to pay the fees that I do pay.· So some of us are 24· ·paying those fees. 25· · · · · ·And because of LAUP and having the opportunity to www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·be with Project Vista, it has increased my knowledge.· I ·2· ·went to high school and when I went to a college class, it ·3· ·was 32 years.· And 20 years I was in this profession, and ·4· ·now I have the opportunity to go to college, and it ·5· ·completed the whole puzzle.· And it's just been really a ·6· ·great opportunity.· And like the others said, the hours ·7· ·are very helpful.· Saturday classes are very helpful. ·8· · · · · ·But I just wanted to make it clear there are some ·9· ·of us that are paying and we don't take it for granted. 10· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Thank you very much. 11· ·Appreciate it. 12· · · · · ·UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:· Good afternoon.· My name 13· ·is (?), and I just wanted to let you guys know that we are 14· ·very grateful that we have classes on Saturday, that we 15· ·have learned a lot of technology to provide good quality 16· ·for our children at home, for our communities so the 17· ·children can have the opportunity to move on from college 18· ·and university.· And I'm just very happy you guys, please, 19· ·hear and listening to us, and thank you very much. 20· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Thank you very much.· Next 21· ·please. 22· · · · · ·MS. GONZALEZ:· Hi.· My name is Julia Gonzalez, 23· ·and I'm part a large group of women's who work hard 24· ·different times and they some are open 24 hours a day a 25· ·week and some five days a week from 6:00 to 6:00.· I'm www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·talking about to my college, the children care providers. ·2· ·We all have the same goal, to prepare and become better ·3· ·child care providers and give our childrens who are in our ·4· ·care with the best quality of life, physical, emotional, ·5· ·and academical. ·6· · · · · ·I also want to thank this great program that's ·7· ·completely focused in helping as with all kinds of ·8· ·research, support, tutoring, books, and accessible hours ·9· ·to study.· Thank you very much because it is a part of 10· ·successful.· And we are the first group of child care 11· ·providers to get these master title.· Thank you very much 12· ·for all your bases· and please continue us.· There are 13· ·still many children care providers is needed. 14· ·That means coming through with the help.· Will you help. 15· ·Last month, 45 women graduate in East Los Angeles College 16· ·with an AA degree in child development. 17· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Thank you very much. 18· · · · · ·MS. NORTA:· Hello.· My name is Helen Norta.· I 19· ·belong to the same group of providers, so I provide child 20· ·care from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.· And having that kind of 21· ·schedule is really hard.· One process one is called to 22· ·care providers program to improve our quality care and our 23· ·professional engagement.· So we find the Vistas Project 24· ·the opportunity to have classes during the nighttime, 25· ·Saturdays, Sundays.· They provide us also with technical www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·support, computers, iPads, also materials as books, ·2· ·printouts.· We really like our job.· We really love the ·3· ·children.· We're here for the children and for our ·4· ·community.· So working with the children in giving the ·5· ·quality care.· We also work for our community. ·6· · · · · ·So we feel that the first years of the -- any ·7· ·child is the most important in their life.· Thank you.. ·8· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Thank you very much.· I ·9· ·want to thank you all for staying so long and all the good 10· ·work that you do.· We appreciate it. 11· · · · · ·We have one other item, I think, Item 13. 12· ·Armando is going to -13· · · · · ·MS. BELSHE:· I've never seen him move so fast. 14· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· He's going to give us 15· ·something to file. 16· · · · · ·MR. JIMENEZ:· I'm going to go into auctioneer 17· ·mode and I don't want to be the one standing you between 18· ·and the wonderful LA freeways, so I'll be very quick. 19· · · · · ·This requires no action.· This is a receive and 20· ·file for the fiscal year 2012-2013 quarter three, progress 21· ·report. 22· · · · · ·Just let me basically say that the first quarter 23· ·and the second quarter we talked about progress, both with 24· ·expenditures and activities.· This specific quarter three 25· ·report focuses on expenditures only.· To minimize www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·confusion, the report is on page 346 in your packet, and ·2· ·here are the highlights.· This reports covers expenditures ·3· ·for the period of July 1st, 2012, to March 31, 2013.· And ·4· ·bottom line, at this point in time at the end of quarter ·5· ·three, 58 percent of the budget was expended. ·6· · · · · ·The category of prior strategic plan year was ·7· ·successful in meeting the expenditure goal.· Outside of ·8· ·that, the overall 27 of the 62 initiatives on the list on ·9· ·that page fell significantly below.· We're underspending, 10· ·which represents 44 percent of the initiatives that we 11· ·invest in.· The reasons for the delays -- or the low 12· ·expenditures are similar to those reported in the first 13· ·quarter report, which are delays in contracting, delays in 14· ·implementation, and the delays in invoicing. 15· · · · · ·Despite that, I wanted to say that, with Kim and 16· ·John's leadership, one of the things that's exciting is, 17· ·in the quarter one report, we identified a program 18· ·improvement plan.· Actually those activities have been 19· ·accelerated and expanded or organization-wide.· And we've 20· ·actually accomplished some, I think in my mind, some major 21· ·activities and milestones, one being the alignment between 22· ·individual program scopes and the overall work plan that 23· ·was just approved in June.· The other was, we conducted a 24· ·time and resource study that the entire solicitation 25· ·process that's currently under review.· We looked at the www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·time it takes between the commission action and the time a ·2· ·check leaves our organization. ·3· · · · · ·The other was conducting a survey of grantees and ·4· ·contractors to find ways to actually assess and improve ·5· ·the current processes we use to interact with the ·6· ·agencies. ·7· · · · · ·And that's the end.· If you have any questions, ·8· ·I'd be happy to answer. ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· One question I would have 10· ·is, in October, I presume that would mean we get the 11· ·report for the entire year.· Is that a time when we should 12· ·pause and look and see how we did, what things we've 13· ·learned, what new policies and procedures might make 14· ·sense, because on the expenditure side, we know that it is 15· ·always a challenge to spend things efficiently.· So right 16· ·now, it's still interim.· Does that make sense?· And 17· ·that's the time it would happen, October? 18· · · · · ·MR. JIMENEZ:· Usually, what we've found is that 19· ·there's a two-month period between the end of that 20· ·particular quarter and the time in which we reconcile the 21· ·invoices. 22· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· So August 1st, September 23· ·1st, which means October is a reasonable time. 24· · · · · ·MR. JIMENEZ:· I would actually say November would 25· ·be a more accurate time to have that.· I would probably www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· ·look at the finance folks. ·2· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· I'll leave it to you all ·3· ·to decide when.· And then I guess the other question is, ·4· ·does it come to the full commission first or should it ·5· ·come to the executive committee?· We could put that in -·6· ·take that offline to figure that out. ·7· · · · · ·Okay.· Great. ·8· · · · · ·Comments or questions? ·9· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER TILTON:· I hate myself because I'm 10· ·late to a retirement dinner, but just I wanted to say, 11· ·Armando, thank you so much for all the great work you do. 12· ·I do want to talk with you.· I would like to discuss at 13· ·some point your outcomes on the various categories of our 14· ·goals, particularly the safety one because I think we need 15· ·to rethink how we identify progress or how we evaluate our 16· ·success there. 17· · · · · ·So can you make a little note that we need to 18· ·talk about that?· It was in our packet.· I spent over an 19· ·hour with my entire operations committee yesterday 20· ·analyzing the findings and promised that I would bring it 21· ·up today, so I brought it up. 22· · · · · ·MR. JIMENEZ:· It's a great actually teaser for 23· ·what we hope to bring soon to the commission which is an 24· ·updated accountability and learning report, which we'll 25· ·talk about more. www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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·1· · · · · ·COMMISSIONER KAUFMAN:· Okay.· Any public comment ·2· ·left?· Any public left to comment? ·3· · · · · ·Meeting is adjourned. ·4· · · · · · · ·(At 4:58 p.m., the meeting was adjourned.) ·5 ·6 ·7 ·8 ·9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 www.diannejonesassociates.com 310.472.9882
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